The UK government has unveiled a major new strategy aimed at disrupting organised fraud networks, including the launch of a dedicated Online Crime Centre designed to coordinate action across law enforcement, financial institutions and technology companies.
The centre, which will begin operations in April, forms a key pillar of the government’s Fraud Strategy 2026 to 2029. The plan outlines how authorities will intensify efforts to combat scams and financial crime, with a total investment of £250m committed over the next three years.
The initiative reflects the growing scale of fraud affecting individuals and businesses across the UK. According to figures cited in the strategy, approximately 1 in 14 adults and 1 in 4 businesses have fallen victim to fraud, with losses estimated to exceed £14bn annually.
At the heart of the strategy is a new approach to collaboration between public and private sector organisations. The Online Crime Centre will bring together experts from government departments, police forces, intelligence agencies, banks, telecommunications providers and major technology companies. By sharing intelligence and data in real time, the initiative aims to create a unified picture of international fraud operations and enable faster responses to emerging threats.
Backed by more than £30m in funding, the centre will focus on identifying and disrupting the infrastructure used by organised criminal groups. This includes targeting fraudulent bank accounts, scam websites and phone numbers used to distribute phishing messages and fraudulent communications. Authorities also intend to remove scam-related social media profiles and shut down other digital tools that enable large-scale fraud campaigns.
Fraud Minister Lord Hanson said, “Fraudsters are exploiting new technology, industrialising their operations and targeting the British public at scale.”
He added, “That’s why we’re bringing together the key players in the system – police, intelligence agencies, banks, mobile networks, regulators and tech companies – to shut down the channels scammers rely on, wherever they operate from.”
“Our new fraud strategy sets out how we will use every tool at our disposal to disrupt and dismantle criminal operations, bring fraudsters to justice and strengthen protection and support for victims.”
Authorities say the strategy also responds to the increasing globalisation of fraud operations. Scam compounds operating in parts of Southeast Asia, West Africa, Eastern Europe, India and China have been linked to large-scale fraud campaigns targeting victims in the UK. Government figures suggest more than two-thirds of scams originate overseas.
The Home Secretary is expected to highlight international cooperation during the Global Fraud Summit in Vienna next week. Agreements already in place with countries including Nigeria and Vietnam have led to arrests and the dismantling of scam operations over the past year.
The strategy also outlines the growing role of technology in the fight against fraud. Law enforcement agencies will deploy artificial intelligence (AI) tools to identify emerging fraud patterns, detect suspicious transactions more quickly and deploy automated systems to engage with scammers and collect intelligence.
James Babbage, Director General (Threats) at the National Crime Agency, said, “Over the last 3 years, the National Crime Agency has been building a stronger response to fraud. However, the threat will continue to grow globally, and the launch of the Fraud Strategy provides the basis for a further step change in our collective work to protect the UK public from these criminals.”
He added, “We have worked intensively with partners to pilot a range of new approaches to fraud and cyber crime: sharing data, stopping and blocking more online crime at source, and helping to design out vulnerabilities through more resilient industry processes. We are looking forward to working with partners across the public and private sectors as part of the new Online Crime Centre to continue this.”
Pete O’Doherty, City of London Police Commissioner and National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Cyber and Economic Crime, said, “We are transforming the national policing response to fraud and cyber crime with an inspection regime, working with HMICFRS, that ensures every police force is making fraud a priority, but we need the wider industry collaboration set out in this new strategy to stop criminals.”
He continued, “We are embedding Report Fraud and building the best crime intelligence law enforcement has ever seen, which will feed the Online Crime Centre – providing crucial data to disrupt fraud and cyber crime, and shaping our messaging to the public and businesses being ruthlessly targeted.”
Alongside enforcement measures, the strategy introduces new standards aimed at improving support for victims. A new fraud victims charter will define minimum standards for response times, victim care and guidance on reimbursement and recovery, ensuring consistent treatment regardless of where victims live.
The government also plans to expand a network of police “PROTECT” officers focused on supporting individuals and organisations most vulnerable to scams. Using data gathered through the national Report Fraud service, authorities will run targeted prevention campaigns in high-risk areas, offering advice and deploying tools such as call-blocking devices to help prevent further incidents.
Future reforms under consideration include accelerating court processes for fraud cases and strengthening the use of civil powers to impose tougher financial penalties on offenders.
Ultimately, the Online Crime Centre will integrate with the National Police Service as it assumes greater responsibility for leading the country’s response to fraud. Officials say the strategy represents a coordinated, technology-driven and internationally focused effort to address what has become one of the most pervasive crimes affecting the UK.
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