
These days, offences relating to financial advantage gained through deception are charged under the Fraud Act 2006. These types of offences are treated more seriously by the courts than the offence of theft, and correspondingly they have more severe punishments attached to them. There are some key differences between fraud and theft offences. One is that fraud does not have to actually result in a material loss to the victim, although cases where a loss has been suffered will be considered more serious when it comes to sentencing. Read on to understand the different types of fraud offences, and the sentence that you could face if you are convicted of a fraud offence.
Yes, deception for financial gain is a criminal offence, (although it no longer goes by that name). Pursuant to the Theft Act 1968, obtaining property by deception and obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception used to be criminal offences. However, these offences were repealed by the Fraud Act 2006. These offences have therefore now been replaced with the following offences:
Another offence that relates to deception is obtaining services dishonestly, pursuant to Section 11 of the Fraud Act.
The Fraud Act came into force on 15 January 2007. Therefore fraud offences can only be tried in relation to incidents which occurred after this date. If it is uncertain whether the crime occurred before or after January 2007, the CPS can charge both under the Theft Act and alternately under the Fraud Act.
This is where a person:
A false representation could include using a stolen document as your own, e.g. a cheque book or a credit card, and pretending that you are the person named on it and entitled to use it. It could also include using your own credit card where you are aware that you have exceeded the credit limit.
When it comes to false representations, sometimes there is a fine line as to whether a matter is a criminal offence or a matter of civil law between the two parties. If you believe that this is a matter that is inappropriate for the police to involve themselves in, e.g. a commercial dispute between two parties, this is something you should discuss with your criminal defence solicitor as it could form the basis of your defence.
This is where a person:
This offence is made out regardless of whether anyone was actually deceived or any property was actually gained or lost.
This is where a person:
Examples of this offence include:
A person is guilty of this offence if they:
High culpability offences are ones that involve the offender playing a leading role in offending; the involvement of others through pressure and influence; or the abuse of a position of power, trust, or responsibility. Offences that involve a large number of victims or deliberately target victims based on their vulnerability will also increase culpability.
Harm is principally assessed by the size of the financial loss involved.
For example, a £1 million fraud where the offender played a leading role would have a starting point of 7 years’ custody, whereas a £1000 fraud where the offender was coerced into participating would probably receive a fine or a community order.
If you have been accused of fraud, it is advisable to seek legal advice immediately. Fraud offences can be complex, and therefore you need a smart and up to date legal team if you want to put forward a robust defence. At Stuart Miller Solicitors, we have the tools to test the prosecution’s evidence and help you put your best foot forwards at court. Whether you require expert evidence or a thorough understanding of technology, our criminal defence team is ready to help you. Take the first step today and contact us for a free consultation.
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