The UK government has unveiled a new national strategy aimed at tackling fraud, announcing the creation of an Online Crime Centre designed to disrupt organised scam networks targeting the public and businesses.
Set to begin operations in April, the new centre will unite specialists from government departments, law enforcement, intelligence agencies, banks, telecommunications providers and major technology companies.
The initiative forms a central pillar of a broader national fraud strategy, which commits £250m over the next three years to strengthening the country’s defences against financial crime.
The government said the centre will focus on improving collaboration between public and private sector organisations that hold critical data on scams and online fraud. By sharing intelligence in real time, authorities aim to build a unified picture of the global criminal networks responsible for fraud against UK citizens.
Backed by more than £30m in funding, the Online Crime Centre will work to identify and dismantle the infrastructure used by organised crime groups. This includes shutting down fraudulent websites, blocking scam text messages, freezing criminal bank accounts and removing scam-related social media profiles. Officials say the initiative will focus particularly on high-harm offenders who orchestrate large-scale international fraud operations targeting people across the UK.
The strategy comes amid growing concern about the scale of fraud in Britain. According to government figures, around one in 14 adults and one in four businesses have experienced fraud, with the crime estimated to cost the UK economy more than £14bn each year. Authorities believe that many scams originate overseas, with criminal networks operating from regions including Southeast Asia, West Africa, Eastern Europe, India and China.
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.”
International co-operation will also form a key component of the strategy. The Home Secretary is expected to highlight global collaboration at the Global Fraud Summit in Vienna next week, as the government seeks stronger partnerships to tackle fraud networks operating overseas.
Recent agreements with Nigeria and Vietnam to share intelligence have already led to several arrests and the dismantling of scam compounds over the past year. Authorities believe the intelligence gathered through the new Online Crime Centre will further strengthen these efforts, helping identify criminal groups operating across borders.
The strategy also outlines how law enforcement agencies will deploy artificial intelligence (AI) to detect emerging fraud patterns and respond more rapidly to suspicious activity. AI tools are expected to help banks and investigators identify unusual transactions more quickly, while so-called scam-baiting chatbots could be used to engage with fraudsters online to gather intelligence that supports criminal investigations.
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 continued, “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 added, “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 also aims to improve support for victims. A new fraud victims charter will set out national standards for response times, care and advice on reimbursement and recovery to ensure consistent support regardless of where victims live.
Police will also expand a network of specialist ‘PROTECT’ officers focused on supporting individuals most vulnerable to fraud. Using insights from the Report Fraud system, officers will provide targeted prevention measures in fraud hotspots, including public awareness campaigns, doorstep advice and the installation of call-blocking devices in high-risk households.
Further reforms under consideration include accelerating court processes for fraud cases and strengthening the use of civil powers to impose tougher financial penalties on offenders.
Looking ahead, the Online Crime Centre will eventually integrate with the National Police Service as it assumes leadership of the UK’s national fraud response. Officials say the Fraud Strategy 2026 to 2029 represents a system-wide effort to create a more coordinated, technology-driven and internationally connected approach to tackling fraud.
Keep up with all the latest RegTech news here
Copyright © 2026 RegTech Analyst
Copyright © 2018 RegTech Analyst
