The South West FRAUD FORUM Helping regional business and industry to understand and combat the risks posed by fraud.
Fraud costs the UK billions of pounds per year and is now believed to account for 40% of all crime committed in the jurisdiction. With only finite public resources available to tackle this economic pandemic, it is becoming more vital than ever that business and industry - which are often at the front line in dealing with the risks posed by fraud - are equipped to tackle this problem head on and to protect and preserve their legitimate interests.
How can we help? The South West Fraud Forum (SWFF) has been set up with the aim of increasing the resilience of regional organisations – in both the private and public sector - to the threats posed by fraud. Run as a collaboration between professional advisors, industry members, the Police and other governmental agencies, the objective of the Forum is simple: to promote fraud awareness, to allow members to understand how best to mitigate against the risks involved, and to increase knowledge of how to respond effectively to fraud if and when it occurs.
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What are the benefits of membership? By becoming a member of the SWFF you will: • Receive regular updates on key developments and trends affecting your day-to-day business. • Be able to share, benchmark and explore experiences and ideas with people from within your own sector and outside, who have the same concerns and problems as you. • Benefit from great networking opportunities at our events. • Gain access to the members’ section of our website, where you will find speakers’ presentations from our events, a list of members’ contact details, a members’ discussion forum - and more!
Fraud, in all its shapes and forms, is a growing problem, but the biggest risk is to assume that it’s inevitable or that there’s nothing you can do about it. The key is to stay one step ahead and to abide by the golden rules: be aware, remain agile, and be prepared to take effective action when a fraud occurs. Steven Richards, Partner, Foot Anstey
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Our leadership The SWFF is led by a board of experts, with a wide range of both public and private sector experience, who bring their knowledge to the forum to drive strategy and ensure that the organisation meets the needs of its members. James Gliddon
Steven Richards
James specialises in banking
Steven is a commercial litigation
and financial services litigation
partner and heads Foot Anstey’s
Partner, Foot Anstey (Co-Chair)
Partner, Foot Anstey (Co-Chair)
and his practice centres on
multi-disciplinary Fraud and
disputes which generate reputational threat against a
Cybercrime practice. In addition to advising on banking
highly regulated backdrop. Managing the consequential
and financial sector litigation, professional negligence
litigation arising from material fraud events has been a
claims, contentious insolvency and insurance disputes,
passion for James and he often trains organisations on
Steven’s practice focuses on working with companies
how to apply the lessons learned for better preparedness.
and high net worth individuals to bring and defend fraud
James is also a member of the Fraud Advisory Panel and
and dishonesty-based claims. In doing so, he regularly
The Institute (of money laundering prevention officers)
advises on business critical and urgent disputes and has
and is delighted to bring this width of perspective and
both extensive trial experience and specific knowledge
experience to support the development of the South
of obtaining, enforcing and responding to applications
West Fraud Forum.
for injunctive relief (including freezing, search and seizure and delivery up orders).
Paul Fox
Money and Pensions Service
Helen Gregory
Money and Pensions Service
Director, Forensic Accounting, Milsted Langdon
(MaPS) for the South West of
Helen has been involved in
Paul heads the Government’s
England. MaPS is tasked with improving the financial
providing expert evidence in
wellbeing of people across the UK and advises HM
court on fraud and financial irregularities for over 20
Treasury on policy matters such as debt advice,
years including during two secondments to the Serious
financial capability and consumer protection. Paul is
Fraud Office. Helen became involved with the South West
one of the founders of the South West Fraud Forum
Fraud Forum because of her interest in education and
and became involved due to the significant role MaPS
prevention which, in her experience, is often overlooked.
plays in fighting pensions fraud.
Garry Parker
Adam Finch
Garry leads TSB Bank’s
Adam has particular expertise
Senior Manager, Fraud Investigations & Intelligence, TSB Bank Fraud Investigations &
Head of Cheltenham Dispute Resolution, Harrison Clark Rickerbys in fraud, asset recovery and
Intelligence team. He is responsible for investigating all
injunctive applications to help clients with the recovery
fraud typologies, including scams and unauthorised
of assets, in particular money, intellectual property, data
transactions – as well as first party and insider fraud
and confidential information. Adam has developed a
cases. He is a qualified fraud investigator and member
reputation for successfully pursuing defendants arising
of various industry working groups and advisory boards.
from complex fraud nationally and internationally. This has
He is a proud member of the South West Fraud Forum
involved securing a number of injunctions on behalf of his
Steering Group, providing fraud prevention advice
clients, including freezing, doorsteps, Norwich Pharmacal
and support to local businesses and communities
and search and delivery up orders. He is also a member
throughout the region.
and director of the Midlands Fraud Forum.
Detective Inspector Marc Milliner
South West Fraud Development Officer, Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) Marc has over 20 years’ policing experience in Economic Crime at both operational and strategic levels. He is keen to support the South West Fraud Forum in bridging the gap between the public and private sector approaches to tackling fraud and money laundering. In particular, he is striving to promote an enhanced service to fraud victims using multi-agency safeguarding measures and regulatory powers.
Find out more Get in touch to find out more about the South West Fraud Forum and becoming a member by joining our LinkedIn Group.