The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) have signed a formal intelligence sharing agreement.
The agreement should make it easier to identify the organised criminal gangs engaged in cross-industry insurance fraud such as crash-for-cash scams.
The concord, signed by the IFB’s head of intelligence Stephen Dalton, and the Chief Constable of Durham Constabulary, Michael Barton, should provide the IFB with better access to police intelligence.
“Today’s landmark agreement demonstrates the long-term strategic commitment from both the IFB and the police, at its most senior level, to share intelligence,” said Dalton.
“It also provides a vital source of new intelligence for the IFB, allowing us to focus investigations on known criminal networks targeting our industry,” he said.
For the police, the agreement will provide “a vital new tool for police forces to prevent and reduce this type of criminal behaviour”, added Barton.
The IFB currently holds 24 intelligence sharing agreements with police, regulators and public sector law enforcement agencies across the UK. Working alongside the police, it is currently coordinating 49 live operations into organised fraud, valued in excess of £66m.
