Surge in COVID-19 Related Fraud

The COVID-19 crisis has led to a sharp rise in fraud and cybercrime in the UK. Although many of the scams we have seen so far have targeted individuals, there is a growing concern that fraudsters are setting their sights on businesses who may now be more vulnerable to fraudulent schemes as a result of the crisis. The UK government’s imposition of stringent lockdown measures on 23 March 2020 forced many companies to shut their offices and instruct staff to work remotely—a transition that has made it harder for some organisations to maintain adequate anti-fraud systems and controls.