Our crime department includes a highly specialised team of Solicitors with extensive experience in defending people who have been accused of fraud. Allegations of fraud can be highly damaging to your personal and professional reputation and it is imperative that you seek legal advice as soon as possible after you are made aware of fraud allegations against you.
Fraud operated by individual people is among the most common types of this crime. If you have been accused of operating a fraudulent scheme similar to those detailed below, our specialist team of fraud solicitors will be able to advise you on how to proceed and defend you at trial if it becomes necessary to do so.
Advance fee fraud, in its simplest form, occurs when someone pays money in advance for a good or service that the provider has no intention of providing. These are commonplace on the internet and can masquerade themselves in the form of racing tips, dating services, inheritance fraud etc. Authorities in the UK and around the world are constantly looking to shut down these operations and prosecute those carrying them out.
If you have been made aware of an accusation of advance fee fraud against you it is important that you seek legal advice immediately. The process of compiling the evidence for a defence of this nature can be a lengthy process so it is essential that you start the process as quickly as possible.
To be involved in the making or use of false documents is a serious offence. The authorities take this area of fraud very seriously and you could be the subject of investigation if you are thought to:
If you have been accused of passport and ID fraud, you should contact our fraud team immediately so that we can begin the process of defending you against the allegations.
If you are not a British citizen and you have been found with false travel documents, your immigration status could be altered. Our immigration team will be able to give you further advice on how to proceed if you find yourself in this position.
Investment fraud is becoming increasingly professional and authorities are under pressure to investigate any financial activity that appears irregular. Fraudulent investment schemes can come in a number of forms:
If you have been accused of operating a scheme similar to these, you should seek legal advice immediately. Our specialists have extensive experience dealing with high profile fraud cases and will be able to represent you at every stage of the legal process.
Defrauding a local authority can carry serious consequences. An act of fraud of this nature occurs when an individual benefits financially as a result of providing information they know to be false to a local authority.
If you have been accused of public sector fraud, our team will be able to explain the allegation to you and compile the evidence you will need to form the basis of your defence. Our team are very experienced at dealing with these matters and will be able to act on your behalf.
Knowingly providing false information to your local authority so that you pay a lower level of tax constitutes a fraud offence. Our fraud team includes a number of experienced solicitors who will be able to help you if you find yourself accused of such an offence.
The most common types of tax and benefit fraud are:
Defrauding HM Customs and Revenue is usually done by false claims or statements concerning:
An offence of fraud against HM Customs and Revenue will occur in the event of:
When funding or grants from a government body are claimed by either individuals or organisations using false information that they know to be false at the time of giving it, they may be charged with fraudulently claiming public funding.
If you face an accusation of this kind of fraud, it is important you seek legal advice as soon as you are able to. Our fraud solicitors have a high level of expertise in this area of the law and will be able to represent you all the way through your case.
The commission of fraud can be a very damaging crime and as a result, activities that could be seen as associated with or supportive of fraudulent activities are also punishable as criminal offences. If you are accused of any of following offences or similar, contact our criminal department to speak to a fraud specialist about how to proceed with your defence.
Bribery is dealt with very seriously by the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO). The Bribery Act 2010 is the main source of law in this area and identifies the four main types of corruption as:
The level of responsibility you hold to protect yourself from accusations of bribery is very high. As a business, your best defence against a charge of corruption is to prove you have sound anti-bribery measures in place. If you find yourself at the receiving end of a corruption charge, our fraud team will be able to represent your case with a high level of expertise.
If you deceptively obtain the personal details of someone – such as their date of birth, address, bank details etc, you could be accused of identity theft. If you then go on to carry out almost any kind of financial transaction using these details, it will be seen as an act of identity fraud. The punishments for these offences are very severe and it is imperative you seek legal advice as soon as you are made aware that you have been accused of these acts or similar.
If a bank account is opened under an assumed name, an act of fraud is committed. The implications of being charged with this offence are very serious and you should seek legal advice as soon as possible. Our fraud specialists will be able to help you trace the activity that has led to your arrest and present your explanation before a judge on your behalf.
Dishonestly accessing a closed computer system, even if no activity is carried out once the system has been entered, amounts to an offense of computer hacking. If you have been accused of this crime you must contact a defence lawyer immediately as the evidence in such cases is often complex and will require an expert to go through it carefully. Our fraud team have a lot of experience in defending individuals who have been accused of cyber crime and will be able to advise you accordingly.
Since the introduction of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, the courts powers to confiscate assets have increased dramatically. This legislation allows for suspected assets to be seized right at the beginning of a criminal investigation. Our crime department will be able to explain the nature of the allegations against you and appeal process – should it be applicable in your case.
There are two types of orders that you may find it helpful to be familiar with if the courts are trying to confiscate your assets:
It is important that you contact one of our specialist confiscation team as soon as you are aware of there being a court order against you. Our specialists deal with very complex fraud cases and will be able to help you collate the necessary evidence to support your case.