Today (21 November 2022) the Security Minister chaired a session
of the Joint Fraud Taskforce and welcomed a new victim checklist
created by the banking industry.
The first meeting today welcomed news that the member
organisations of the taskforce have developed and adopted a new
victim’s checklist, setting a benchmark for other industries
to follow by ensuring consistent support is given to victims of
fraud. Security Minister and industry leaders discussed how this
important work can be expanded further.
, Minister for Tech and the
Digital Economy, and Treasury Lords Minister were also in attendance.
The checklist builds on the work the organisations had previously
undertaken and ensures that consistent guidance and support is
provided to victims, whoever they bank with, when they report a
fraud.
Mr Tugendhat, who chairs the taskforce, said:
I was delighted to lead a discussion of the renewed Joint Fraud
Taskforce today, meeting with industry leaders to discuss how we
can work together to fight fraud and provide better support for
victims.
Fraud is a hidden tax on people across our country and is a
national security problem too. It funds criminal states and
drug dealers and many more. I’m determined to fight it.
The banking industry has risen to that challenge and set a clear
benchmark, which I am keen to see rolled out across other
industries. Many phone companies have done the same, we need the
tech firms to follow.
The Joint Fraud Taskforce is a partnership between the
government, law enforcement and the private sector which was
relaunched in October 2021. At its relaunch, a series of
voluntary charters were created for the private sector to follow,
including a charter for retail banking.
The rollout of the victim checklist means a key victim support
pledge from the Retail Banking Charter has been fulfilled. In
practice, it means bank and building society staff will provide
victims with the same guidance on how to report a crime, how they
may be able to get their money back, and where they can access
additional support and advice.
The government will continue to explore how the positive
interventions of the banking sector can be adopted by other
industries represented at the taskforce.
David Postings, Chief Executive of UK Finance, said:
Fraud has a devastating impact on victims, and the money stolen
funds serious organised crime. The industry’s primary focus is on
stopping these scams happening in the first place and banks have
invested heavily in advanced technology to protect customers.
UK Finance supports the commitment from the Joint Fraud Taskforce
to deliver consistent fraud advice to consumers, meaning that all
victims of fraud have the same information. The industry is
also delivering consistent and concerted fraud messaging through
the Take Five to
Stop Fraudcampaign.
We urge everybody to follow the Take Five advice and to always
contact their bank immediately if they think they have fallen
victim to a fraud.
James O’Sullivan, Policy Manager at the Building Societies
Association said:
This checklist will ensure that consumers receive the same
guidance when they report a fraud on their bank or building
society account, irrespective of who their provider is.
It’s a helpful step which is part of the bigger and ever evolving
fight against fraud and the criminals that perpetrate it.
