Fraud against the individual – scams – is around 40% of all crime in the UK, and around 80% originates online. Working for HM Government, and liaising with the National Crime Agency, we identified the main techniques the fraudsters were using on different platforms, and what could be done to prevent fraudsters from using the platforms without disrupting firms’ business models.
Supported by Home Office officials, and working with officials from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, we negotiated with the major global tech firms to share best practices and to ensure evidence-based systems and processes were put in place to deter and prevent fraudsters.
It led to the Online Fraud Charter, with 12 different tech firms and brands – Google, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Match Group, Snap, X, EBay, Amazon, LinkedIn, TikTok and Microsoft – agreeing to implement 39 different measures to combat fraud. This was done in close collaboration with OfCom, to ensure that the measures were co-ordinated with any action that would be taken as a result of the Online Safety Act. The Online Fraud Charter is a world first, was widely welcomed both by the banks and the tech industry and attracted significant international attention.