Our fraud solicitors in London represent clients who have been the victim of criminal fraud. We offer legal guidance and representation in many different areas that include but are not limited to complex fraud, tax and fee fraud and many more. The Fraud Act 2006 offers a statutory definition for this criminal offence. In broad terms, fraud is the act of obtaining services through dishonest practices. The wide range of possibilities is what makes the spectrum of criminal offences involving fraud a large one. This is particularly why it is advisable to work with our team of fraud solicitors in London who specialise in different areas, in order to receive proper legal guidance in your case.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Who can our fraud solicitors represent? |
Individuals and companies involved in fraud cases |
|
Defence for bribery cases (YES/NO) |
Yes |
|
Defence for money laundering (YES/NO) |
Yes |
| Defence for corruption cases (YES/NO) |
Yes |
| Representation in the court of law (YES/NO) |
Yes |
| Types of evidence solicited by a lawyer |
– videos, – photos, – witness declarations |
| Investment fraud legal advice offered |
Advice for further business operations until representation in the court of law |
| Defence strategies for online fraud |
– evidence review, – video and photo materials verifications |
| Appealing the verdict | Yes, our fraud solicitors can manage the formalities |
| Witness declaration implications | We can discuss with witnesses part of the case |
| Support for reopening the fraud case (YES/NO) |
Yes |
| Free case evaluation |
Available online |
| Appointment with our fraud solicitors | Yes, by email, phone, or online |
| Legai aid offered | Depending on the case and circumstances |
| 24/7 legal support (YES/NO) | Yes |
| How can we help you make a scam claim? |
– verifying the financial transactions that took place, – if specific policies have been breached, – making a complaint to relevant banks to recover personal funds |
|
Can forensic fraud investigations take place? |
Yes, our fraud solicitors can analyze company financial statements to identify if there are any tax frauds, or money laundering involved. |
|
What is serious high value fraud? |
Financial crime cases involving a substantial amount of money |
| Representation in the court of law for tax evasion (YES/NO) | YES |
| Representation for mortgage fraud (YES/NO) |
YES |
| What is benefit fraud? |
Specific financial crimes where individuals obtained more governmental benefits than they were supposed to. |
| Representation for bank fraud accusations |
For persons who have been accused of obtaining money from a bank or its clients |
| Recommended first step as a fraud victim |
Specialized help from a fraud solicitor with experience in the field |
| Fraud penalties in UK |
Up to 10 years of imprisonment, community orders, fines |
| Legislation applied for fraud cases | Fraud Act, Bribery Act, Theft Act, etc. |
| We can apply for bail (YES/NO) |
YES |
| What happens to offenders due to lack of evidence |
The charges can be dropped, however, investigations can continue. |
| Can fraud victims benefit from legal aid? |
Yes, fraud victims can apply for legal aid, and if they are eligible, they can receive free legal advice. |
| When should you ask for legal advice? |
When being under investigation, accused of fraud, facing a prosecution |
| Why choose our fraud solicitors in UK? |
– experience, – professionalism, – affordable costs |
Table of Contents
Fraud law in the UK
The Fraud Act applicable in England, Wales and Northern Ireland stipulates that there are three types of fraud:
- by false representation: when an individual makes any representation, expressed or implied, of which they know to be misleading;
- by failing to disclose information: when a person fails to present any information to a third party when they are under a legal obligation to make such a disclosure;
- by abuse of position: when a person who has a position from which he should safeguard the financial interests of another person abuses that position; this also includes abuse consisting of an omission rather than overt acts.
Our fraud lawyers in London can give you more details about how these three acts are defined.
In each of the three cases, the law stipulates that the following are to occur:
- the conduct of the defendant needs to be a dishonest one;
- the intention of the act must be to have a personal gain or cause a loss or risk to another party;
- there is no specific requirement for a gain or loss actually to have been made;
- a maximum 10 years imprisonment sentence can apply.
There are also fraud cases in which the loss can be to a third party. This usually occurs in domestic relationships between the victim and the offender. Our fraud solicitors in London can give you more details as well as provide assistance when such a relationship between the victim and the offender is in place (for example, when a child steals his parent’s credit card).
Matters concerning fraud can be especially important for investors who open a company in the UK. If you run your own business and suspect that you have been the victim of fraud, our team will analyse your situation and provide you with adequate solutions. You can reach out to us for any type of business fraud, and also if you are interested in knowing more about company creation in the UK.
Services offered by our fraud lawyers in London
Our dedicated team is able to assist those who have been the victim of fraud on various levels. We offer expert-level assistance to companies and individuals alike. Some of our services include the following:
- Contracts fraud: for example, in joint-venture agreements in commercial contracts concluded with banks or financial institutions;
- Corporate abuse of power: legal assistance from our fraud solicitors in London in all cases involving dishonesty, money laundering or other dishonest acts undertaken by professionals who abused their position;
- Corporate misinterpretations: these can include any types of misinterpretations that took place regarding a business or in a financial context, that later lead to a loss to the company or an individual;
- Data theft: our fraud lawyers in London can help those companies or individuals who have been the victim of data theft or identity theft;
- Loan and insurance fraud: we help those who have been the victim of insurance fraud, either on the part of the seller (they purchased inexistent premiums) or the buyer (who has falsified medical records or exaggerated claims).
You can reach out if you have questions about any of these types of fraud or if you believe that you have been the victim of dishonesty and wish to know what legal options are at your disposal.
Benefit fraud solicitors in London
According to the UK Government, benefit fraud is the act of claiming benefits that are not entitled to the one making the claim. For example, not reporting a change in one’s circumstances, that could stop them from receiving the benefits or providing false information from the very beginning. Benefit fraud accusations are serious ones and if you have been charged with these, you can be asked to attend an interview as part of an ongoing investigation. In this case, working with our benefit fraud solicitors in London is helpful.
The following statistics on fraud were made available by the National Office for Statistics on their Crime report for the year ending in June 2020:
- there were an estimated 4.3 million fraud offences, as reported by the Crime Survey for England and Wales (a telephone-operated survey);
- the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau reported a 4% increase in the total number of fraud offences that have been referred to it, compared to the previous year (733,967 vs. 703,097);
- UK Finance also reported a 4% increase in fraud in the year ending in June 2020 (a total of 107,327 offences).
Defence for bribery accusations provided by our fraud lawyers
Bribery cases involve offenders who promise a certain amount of money or any kind of assets in exchange for special requests or benefits. As it is known, bribery is a serious crime for which, if found guilty, a person can face penalties and/or imprisonment if the case is severe. Offering bribes in order to solve a commercial purchase or contract is definitely against the law. There are situations in which public officials take bribes for varied settlements like intervening in cases of elections or any kind of business deal.
The Bribery Act 2010 is a set of laws of high importance in UK, and it covers all the crimes and the penalties imposed, condemning the act of bribery. Our fraud lawyers in London will have to properly analyze the bribery case and the accusations and ask for a plea bargain or a lighter verdict if it is the case. Let our serious fraud solicitors take care of your case and provide you with complete legal advice if you have been accused of fraud acts like bribery.
A good defence method in fraud cases can be offered by a specialist with experience in the field. Thus, people who are accused of crimes can ask for the help of our fraud solicitors in London. They can represent the offenders in the court of law, not before analyzing the presented case and verifying the chances of success. Contact us for legal counseling.
If you cannot afford the costs of a lawyer you might be eligible for legal aid. Victims of violence, persons who are about to lose their homes, or minors involved in criminal cases might solicit the support of our legal aid solicitors in London. It is good to know that the Legal Aid Agency in UK is the authority that verifies every case presented and accepts them if the eligibility criteria are respected. We also like to mention that if you have been implicated in domestic abuse, legal aid can be offered.
What is the defence for money laundering cases in UK?
Illegal activities are a serious threat not only in UK, but on an international scale, for which the defence might be complex and might prolong. Companies or business persons accused of money laundering should seek immediate legal advice and representation and get in touch with our fraud solicitors in London. Shell companies, black salaries, transaction laundering, and many more are serious frauds for which criminals can be sent to jail for a long period of time. Our fraud lawyers in London are at the disposal of persons accused of money laundering within the UK territory and are ready to assist them in front of the authorities, starting from the police station and ending in the court of law. Determining the circumstances and the facts of a money laundering case is the first thing to consider by a serious fraud solicitor.
Defence for investment frauds in UK
UK is an important business hub that offers a multitude of investment openings for both local and overseas market players. Even though the legislation is strict and protects businesses from fraud, there are certain arrangements or illegal deals that can affect and/or involve specific companies. We are talking about investment frauds like fraudulent manipulation of the stock exchange, bank investment schemes, illegal insider trading, and many more.
Persons found guilty of investment fraud in UK will have to ask for urgent legal representation from our fraud solicitors in London who know the applicable legislation and who can prepare a suitable approach in such cases. Even in cases involving large sums of money, a strong and well-prepared defence can be the right answer, therefore, do not hesitate to get in touch with our team of serious fraud solicitors as soon as fraud accusations have been brought to you.
Defence for corruption accusations in UK
Corruption is a worrying phenomenon at an international level and can have serious consequences anywhere in the world. This is another type of fraud that refers to the cases in which a public official or other individual is financially rewarded in return for a specific favor. There are many cases of corruption that are subject to millions or even billions of dollars, however, such accusations need to be highly and attentively measured, thinking that a serious fraud solicitor can provide complete legal assistance comprising of a proper legal approach, depending on the circumstances of the case.
Companies accused of corruption in UK should ask for immediate legal advice and support, as such cases are extremely severe and need to be treated in accordance. Our corruption solicitors in London are at your disposal from the very beginning, especially if the case has an unwanted social impact. If you need legal services in other UK cities, such as Manchester, we can put you in touch with our local partners.
Can I receive the legal support of an insurance fraud solicitor in London?
Yes, our insurance fraud solicitors in London are at your disposal if you need legal advice for this kind of accusation. In most situations, insurance companies are involved in such serious fraud cases, where individuals or companies can present false documents in order to obtain a large amount of money. Criminals also have other ways to defraud insurance companies in UK, among which, intentional floods or fire, damages, or false insurance contracts which eventually can be detected by the authorities.
Insurance companies are the ones that report a big amount of money losses, especially if such fraud cases cannot be detected in time. The support of our serious fraud solicitors is needed in such cases, so it is recommended to get in touch with us and find out more about the legal advice they can offer, whether as a victim of insurance fraud or as a criminal accused of such offences.
Online frauds via email – What to do in such cases
The internet is vast and unfortunately home to numerous crimes among which, the ones referring to identity theft for accessing a personal bank account without permission. Hackers have different methods to defraud individuals on the internet, and false emails are highly used. Such an email can be quite persuasive, particularly if it contains sensitive information about social cases, accompanied by photos, videos, and other materials. In the end, the sender asks for a specific sum of money or for a personal bank account. This is nothing but an online fraud meant to leave persons without money in their bank accounts. The first thing to do in such a case is to report the email as spam and not give any personal information. This is probably the best way to protect yourself against online fraud, however, you should ask for support and legal advice from our serious fraud solicitors. Here is information and also statistics about fraud in UK:
- Around GBP 784 million represented the total losses for unauthorized financial fraud with remote banking and payment cards in 2020.
- More than GBP 1.6 billion was prevented from theft by UK banks in the same year.
- Losses of over GBP 479 million were recorded following Authorized Push Payment.
- Approximately 56% of the total financial frauds registered in UK in 2018 were payment card frauds.
Mobile banking fraud, the most common method of fraud
Unauthorized payments made using online platforms are frauds that affect many people. There are quite a few who discover that their bank accounts have been broken and that they have run out of money. The most vulnerable people are the elderly, who can be easily fooled by fraudsters. Accessing an application or an unauthorized online site, where account data is required is the simplest method of fraud, being a safe trap for gullible people.
Can fraud cases be reopened?
Yes, fraud cases can be reopened with the legal support of our fraud solicitors in London. In this matter, a totally different approach in a fraud case can be adopted by one of our serious fraud solicitors. More than that, an appeal to the verdict can be considered by one of our fraud solicitors in London who can prepare your case from another point of view. There are particular circumstances in which some fraud cases can be reopened by the Magistrates’ Court, and verdicts can be changed in favor of a person accused of fraud. The lack of evidence or proof that hasn’t been properly verified can be an important defence method used by a fraud solicitor in London. Also, some questions can arise at the time a case has lots of chances to be reopened:
- Was the first verdict correct?
- Are there any witnesses involved?
- Is the lack of evidence a starting point for reopening a case?
- Is the sentence accurately issued?
- Is it in the best interest of justice to reopen a case?
One of our fraud solicitors in London can give the proper answers to the above-mentioned questions related to the ways in which a case can be reopened.
If you have been the victim of fraud, getting legal aid is essential. Contact our fraud solicitors in London to find out how we can help you.
