A multi-agency effort to combat cybercrime and fraud involving law enforcement and major banks is being rolled out across the UK after a successful pilot in Scotland.
The Financial Fraud Group has been set up to offer greater protection to the public as National Crime Agency (NCA) figures show fraud now accounts for 41 per cent of all crime committed against individuals in England and Wales.
The group, which includes Police Scotland, City of London Police, Barclays, NatWest, Metro Bank, the Cyber Defence Alliance and NCA, will meet weekly to share real-time intelligence, collaborate on live investigations, and provide coordinated public warnings.
Some of the key partners involved in the development of the group came together yesterday during a visit with Minister of State for Security Dan Jarvis MP. They included Jude McCorry, Cyber and Fraud Centre – Scotland, Rebecca Hinchcliffe-Lead, Cyber Fraud Crime Analyst at Barclays, Janice Crawford, Fraud & Customer Crime Intelligence Lead at NatWest, Minister of State for Security of the United Kingdom, Dan Jarvis MP, and Alex Dowall, CEO, Cyber and Fraud Hub.
Operating as a working group, it will build a shared understanding of evolving threats to ensure that accurate, consistent messages reach the public quickly. When fraud reports come in, members will mobilise quickly, often drawing on extended networks, to implement mitigation measures to protect the public.
“Fraud has reached crisis levels,” said Jude McCorry, CEO of Cyber and Fraud – Scotland. “This taskforce ensures that collectively, we all respond quickly and consistently to share intelligence and spot patterns earlier. By working together, we’re not just reacting to fraud, we’re actively building a stronger and smarter defence against it.”
Such is the scale and severity of the issue that the centre established a dedicated charitable arm to support individuals affected by financial fraud. In just 12 months, the Cyber and Fraud Hub has helped 450 people, managed millions of pounds worth of fraud, but more importantly through collaborative working with the banks and policing we have stopped or got the money returned to the victim.
As Scotland’s only charity working directly with the banking industry, police, and technology partners to support victims of online scams and fraud, the Hub plays a vital role. It offers a crucial lifeline for individuals who don’t know where to turn or how to access support, while also working proactively with partners to deliver education and prevention resources to help others stay safe.
UK Finance reported losses of £1.1 billion to fraud in 2024, including a sharp rise in remote purchase scams. The Crime Survey for England and Wales recorded an estimated 4.16 million incidents of fraud in the year ending March 2025, up 31 per cent year-on-year. Emerging threats now include AI-powered scams and organised fraud rings increasingly targeting the telecommunications and online retail sectors.
To counter this growing crisis, the Financial Fraud Group will be rolling out on-going public-facing campaigns that focus on practical prevention, which include guidance to help individuals and organisations stay vigilant, challenge suspicious financial requests, and report fraud attempts quickly.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said: “Fraud is the UK’s most commonly experienced crime and tackling it requires swift, bold and coordinated action.”
“That’s why I commend the important work of the Financial Fraud Group who through collaboration, intelligence sharing, and public campaigning are helping to ensure that money stays in people’s pockets.
“This government will continue to work closely with all partners, including through our new, expanded Fraud Strategy, as we ensure that fraudsters face the justice they deserve.”
