In a concerted effort to combat the growing amount of fraud across the UK – the vast majority of which takes place online – law enforcement agencies, including Police Scotland, have made significant strides in a UK-wide operation called Operation Henhouse, resulting in the arrest of over 400 suspects and the seizure of £19 million in cash and assets. 

Now in its third iteration, Operation Henhouse was spearheaded by the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC) and the City of London Police, and collaborated with various law enforcement agencies including all UK police forces, Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Serious Fraud Office, and National Trading Standards.

In today’s digital world, 95% of fraud cases take place online. According to Scottish legal news, cases have doubled since 2017 from 8,160 to 16,879, and as a result, Police Scotland have spent over 400,000 hours investigating fraud in the last five years.

Broadening the scope back to the whole of the UK, we see that fraud makes up 40% of all reported crime, according to the NCA, amounting to approximately £6.8 billion annually.

The recent crackdown, spanning February and March, saw a total of 438 arrests and 211 voluntary interviews conducted. Additionally, authorities seized £13.9 million in cash and assets, while securing account freezing orders totalling £5.1 million, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA).

Among the assets seized were luxury items including an £80,000 Porsche, a £70,000 BMW, and a £15,000 Rolex watch, indicating the extravagant lifestyles financed through fraudulent means.

Police Scotland, for example, supported by Greater Manchester Police and the North West ROCU, were able to successfully charge two individuals involved in a fraudulent banking scheme. 

Recommended reading

• Calls to Cyber and Fraud Centre Helpline More Than Doubled Last Year
• Watch Out for Fraudulent Bank Websites, Says Which?
• How Much are Fraudsters Making from Crypto Pump-and-Dumps?

“The emotional harm that fraud causes is immense, and many of those targeted are faced with devastating and life changing losses,” said Adrian Searle, director of the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC) in the NCA.

“Fraud investigations take place all year round, but campaigns like Henhouse not only demonstrate how far we will go to pursue those who commit fraud, but also how successful we can be when we work closely with our partners across the country.

Despite the success of Operation Henhouse, concerns linger regarding the government’s allocation of resources to tackle fraud effectively. However, according to security Minister Tom Tugendhat: “Our approach is working. Fraud is already down 13% in England and Wales. This government is determined to continue our efforts to bring fraudsters to justice and protect the public.”

This recent crackdown plays on the success of last year’s iteration of Operation Henhouse, which resulted in 290 arrests and the seizure or freezing of over £6 million.