Criminal scam reporting is far too hard

The following item is written by Mark Oldroyd of Bardfield Consulting.

 That's News is not associated with Mr Oldroyd or Bardfield Consulting and his comment piece is published on this blog as a matter of public service. 

"Earlier this year I was the victim of a sophisticated financial scam. The scam involved purchasing Pre IPO shares in Alibaba and through a company listed on the FCA website as EEA approved. I reported the scam to both the FCA and Action Fraud.

"Yesterday I was contacted by a different company also listed on the FCA website as EEA approved offering me Pre IPO shares in Uber. As few quick checks revealed that this was the same scam just using different names.

"I contacted Action Fraud gave them the details and asked for a someone to help me with what effectively was a crime in progress. I was told that was not possible, and that all that they could do was open a new report which would be looked at sometime in the next two months.

"I said hang on, if I report that a bank is being robbed I don't expect to be told that someone will possibly review my report in a couple of months time.

"Surely there is some prioritisation for crimes in progress. I was told that there was not.

"I then contacted the Crime Commissioner's Office for Essex, who were sympathetic but said all they could do was raise the issue at the next appropriate meeting.

"Finally I contacted the office of James Cleverly my local MP. I have had no response.

"No wonder that Cyber crime and fraud are on the increase, there appears to be absolutely no way to get any law enforcement help even when there is a crime in progress and a member of the public willing to help."

Mark Oldroyd.

https://www.bardfield-consulting.com