NFIB research leads to national ACPO campaign
Research by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) has prompted an ACPO campaign to encourage better protection of vulnerable adults from fraudsters.
The ongoing study, requested by the Commissioner of the City of London Police in his role as ACPO lead for Economic Crime, highlighted a lack of official reporting of the matter to police and social services.
The NFIB 'Financial Crime against Vulnerable Adults' team, is carrying out the study and the final results will be presented to the Department of Health for inclusion in the wider work around safeguarding vulnerable adults.
As part of the ACPO campaign posters have been sent to doctors’ surgeries, libraries, police stations and more, reminding people that criminals target vulnerable adults for their money. The posters encourage families, friends, carers and professional bodies to keep a close check on vulnerable adults, and to report any concerns
The Financial Crime against Vulnerable Adults team, consisting of police specialists, financial investigators, social services and analytical staff, has spent the past five months pulling together and assessing information. A network of experts from business, government departments, NGOs and charities has supported this team.
The information will now be cross-referenced with the national intelligence system for all reported fraud, using the NFIB, and assessed against organised crime group data.
The final results should give the team a greater understanding of the scale of the problem. The individual reports of fraud will be given to local police forces and social service teams to ensure victims are better protected, and any crimes investigated.
The final results will also be presented to government and stakeholders, to ensure that lessons can be learnt, and a better way to protect our vulnerable adults designed.
Commissioner Mike Bowron said:
“This is a vital piece of work to ensure that those who are vulnerable in our society are protected from economic crime. The impact fraud can have on victims is devastating, and we should do all that we can to prevent criminals from praying on our vulnerable adults.”
