A new online crime squad is being set up to disrupt the gangs behind Britain’s most pervasive crime: fraud.

Dubbed the “Online Crime Centre” and set to launch operations next month, it will bring together government, police, intelligence agencies, banks, mobile networks, and major tech firms for co-ordinated action against fraud.

Backed by over £30 million in funding, the centre aims to identify the accounts, websites, and phone numbers that organised crime groups rely on and shut them down at scale by blocking scam texts, removing scam social media accounts, and freezing criminal accounts.

The squad forms part of a new and expanded strategy published today, March 9th, which sets out how the UK Government will work to disrupt fraudsters and protect the public with £250 million invested over the next two years for the fight.

The strategy comes as one in four businesses and one in 14 adults have become a victim of fraud, costing the economy more than £14 billion a year.

It also follows a rise in overseas scam compounds operating globally, where the aim is to script and scale fraud to target thousands of victims at once.

“Fraudsters are exploiting new technology, industrialising their operations and targeting the British public at scale,” said Fraud Minister Lord Hanson.

“That’s why we’re bringing together the key players in the system – police, intelligence agencies, banks, mobile networks, regulators and tech companies – to shut down the channels scammers rely on, wherever they operate from.

“Our new fraud strategy sets out how we will use every tool at our disposal to disrupt and dismantle criminal operations, bring fraudsters to justice and strengthen protection and support for victims.”

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Victims are also set to receive stronger support under the strategy, through the establishment of clear national standards for how every victim is treated.

A new fraud victims charter will set out response times, minimum standards of care, and consistent advice on reimbursement and recovery to help the public receive the same level of service.

To help prevent fraud in the first instance, a dedicated network of police “PROTECT” officers – charged with helping those most vulnerable – will also ramp up targeted support in fraud hotspots across the country.

Using data from the new Report Fraud service, police will spearhead a campaign of targeted prevention from doorstep advice to installing call-blocking devices in vulnerable homes and businesses.

Rachel Andrews, who serves as corporate security and fraud director at VodafoneThree, commented on the new online squad and strategy, saying: “It’s encouraging to see the government’s commitment to combatting fraud.

“Tech-enabled scams not only exploit connectivity and undermine trust in the UK’s digital network, they also cause significant amounts of financial and emotional distress for victims.”

“As fraudsters’ tactics change, we’re investing in technology and teams to prevent fraud at each step of the customer journey. Continuing to protect consumers and businesses requires increasing amounts of collaboration with industry, government, partners and law enforcement,” Andrews added.

“This strategy marks a major milestone in that journey and we look forward to collaborating more on it.”