COMPUTER SAYS NO FOR FRAUD VICTIMS

Complaints not read by humans

FRAUD victims are failing to get justice because complaints are rejected by computers without anyone reading them.

Fewer than one in 20 reported scams are solved as fraudsters steal almost £200billion a year. ear.

And research claims tens ns of thousands of complaints are dismissed by computer er algorithms as simply “intellligence or information” and d never followed up.

Only a small number of reports are passed on to local cal police forces by the national onal cybercrime and fraud reporting ting service, Action Fraud. The e consumer group Which? called the research “a disturbing insight” into a system that leaves victims feeling angry and abandoned. With 800,000 reports a year, City of London P Police, which runs Action Act Fraud,

says it is impossible to go through every one. More than 96 per cent of crimes reported to Action Fraud are closed without a successful outcome.

Reports to the service, which has no investigative powers, are screened and scored by computer algorithm. Some are passed on to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, which forwards selected ones to the relevant police force.

Which? money editor Gareth Shaw said: “The system for investigating fraud is leaving victims feeling abandoned and suggests the authorities are fighting a losing battle against a devastating crime.

“The Government, banks and regulators must take swift action.”

City of London Police told Which? every report is important to Action Fraud and helps develop a clearer picture of offending.

Action Fraud said: “We examine up to 40,000 reports a month to ensure that cases with the greatest threat, harm or risk are prioritised.”

Victims Vic feel abandoned and the authorities are fighting a losing los battle with this crime

gareth gare shaw MONEY EDITOR OF WHICH?