Business Services Industry

UK fraud bill to tackle Internet crime

Internet Business News, June 1, 2005

According to the new fraud bill published by the government last week, individuals who participate in 'phishing', the sending out of fake bank e-mails in an attempt to gain secure information, could face up to 10 years in jail.

The new fraud bill attempts to simplify existing laws by creating a new fraud offence carrying a maximum 10-year jail sentence. The new offence can be committed; by false representation, which would include the offence of phishing; by failure to disclose information or by abuse of position.

According to Computer Weekly, the new bill introduces three new offences that could potentially be used to deal with Internet fraudsters; obtaining services dishonestly, for example by using a stolen credit card over the internet; possessing articles for use in frauds, such as a computer program that generates genuine credit card numbers and participating in fraudulent business.

According to the Attorney General this new reform was necessary to enable prosecutors to get to grips with the increasing abuse of technology, particularly in relation to fake credit card scams and personal identity theft.

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