Fraud victims stand little chance of seeing justice, figures reveal, with only around one in 200 cases leading to a prosecution.
More than 936,000 fraud offences were recorded between April 2021 and March 2022 – but Home Office data uncovered by the Sunday Mirror shows fewer than 5,000 suspects were actually charged.
That means those behind more than 99% of scams escaped justice.
Meanwhile the number of fraud cases jumped by 17% in a year, from 797,897 in 2020/21. And a 2021 study estimated fraud costs victims over £137billion a year.
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A police think tank says fraud cases are not a priority for most forces because they are “not local enough”.
Michael Skidmore, of the Police Foundation, said: “The evidence isn’t local, the victims often aren’t local. And forces are driven by the chief constable’s agenda – to serve their own communities.”
David Spencer, of the Centre for Crime Prevention, said few police forces have the skills to deal with complex fraud.
He added: “Unless there is immediate evidence of the perpetrator, it’s hard to track them down. And policing seems to prioritise fast clear-up over tackling crimes that impact people’s lives.”
Fraud cases are passed on to forces by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, based at the City of London Police.
Pete O’Doherty, Assistant Commissioner, said: “While prosecutions are important, we are working hard to reduce the threat from fraud by helping the public protect themselves.”
