The Shared Anti-Fraud Service (SAFS)

Fraud costs local tax payers millions of pounds each year. This prevents public money from going to the places that need it most and improving your community.

According to the latest government figures, fraud is increasing. We need your help to tackle this.

You can report fraud anonymously and we'll treat it in the strictest confidence.

According to national reports, the main areas at risk of fraud are blue badge misuse, housing tenancy fraud, council tax fraud and school admissions.

Latest news:

Former Stevenage Borough Council employee sentenced for fraud offence.

Fraudster convicted for illegally sub-letting a housing association property

Whetstone woman fined for misusing blue badge in Borehamwood

Fraudster, 66, jailed for five years after her family scammed £624,000

Blue Badge fraud

Blue badge fraud, such as altering a badge or using someone else's, costs around £46 million a year nationally.

If you suspect that someone in Hertfordshire or Bedfordshire is fraudulently using a blue badge, call our fraud hotline on 0300 123 4033 or report it online.

News:

Two drivers who misused blue badges in Hertsmere fined

Woman who used her mum's disabled blue badge in Bishop's Stortford must pay £806

Review leads to Blue Badge theft and misues crackdown program by the local government

Housing fraud

Housing fraud costs the tax payer around £1.8bn a year nationally. It includes:

• sub-letting a council house
• not living in a council house and leaving it empty
• making a fraudulent Right to Buy application
• providing false or misleading information to get a council house.

This deprives people in genuine need of affordable homes.

If you suspect that someone in Hertfordshire or Bedfordshire is committing tenancy fraud, call our fraud hotline on 0300 123 4033 or report it online.

 News:

Person pleads guilty to defrauding Broxbourne and Harlow councils

Council tax fraud

Council tax fraud costs around £60 million a year nationally. It includes:

• claiming false discounts or exemptions
• falsely claiming you're a student or you're living alone
• failing to declare a change in your income.

If you suspect that someone in Hertfordshire or Bedfordshire is committing council tax fraud, call our fraud hotline on 0300 123 4033 or report it online.

News: 

Be on the lookout for council tax refund/reduction scams trying to steal your bank details

Woman pleads guilty and has been given a suspended prison sentence for benefit fraud

A Woman fraudulently uses names of her former foster children to avoid paying £7,000 of pounds in council tax

School admissions fraud

Each year, we receive over 40,000 school applications - some of them are fraudulent.

Fraudulent applications take school places from local children.

If you suspect that someone is committing school admissions fraud, call our fraud hotline on 0300 123 4033 or report it online.

Insurance fraud

In 2016/17 £5.1 million of insurance fraud was identified in local government.

This includes false claims for:

• damage caused by pot-holes
• personal injury
• damage to private property.

If you suspect that someone is committing insurance fraud, call our fraud hotline on 0300 123 4033 or report it online.

News:
Hertfordshire man given suspended prison sentence, told to carry out 120 hours' unpaid work and ordered to pay £4,000 costs for trying to defraud county council after car crash

Driver convicted for fraud after making false insurance claim over St Albans pothole

Hemel Hempstead fraudster convicted for making false insurance claim to Hertfordshire County Council - HertsLive (hertfordshiremercury.co.uk)

Hemel Hempstead man handed suspended prison sentence for making a false insurance claim (Hemel Today)

Adult social care fraud

Adult social care fraud is thought to be the highest risk of fraud, costing councils millions of pounds every year.

Examples of fraud include:

• exaggerating a disability or illness to receive more support
• not declaring savings or capital in financial assessments
• using direct payments for non-care related expenditure
• carers claiming for hours not provided.
• Stevenage man jailed for fraud over dead mum's care payments | The Comet

If you suspect that someone is committing adult social care fraud, call our fraud hotline on 0300 123 4033 or report it online.

News:

Weston trio plead guilty to fraud

Hemel man received a two-year suspended prison sentence for fraudulently claiming £75,000 worth of care payments for his wife

Procurement and contract fraud

Procurement fraud is estimated to cost local councils millions of pounds each year and believed to be one of the top three fraud risk areas. Examples can include:

• bribery and corruption
• suppliers not fulfilling a contract
• cartels and bid-rigging.

If you suspect that someone is committing procurement fraud, call our fraud hotline on 0300 123 4033 or report it online.

Other Fraud

We take allegations of fraud against any council service seriously because it means there is less money to spend on essential services that affect the whole community. This includes fraud types such as:

• Business Rate Fraud
• Covid Fraud
• Payroll Fraud

If you suspect that someone is committing any fraud against the Council, call our fraud hotline on 0300 123 4033 or report it online.

News:

Man jailed after defrauding Luton Borough Council

Former Luton Council employee convicted for fraud

Welfare fraud

For benefit fraud, like housing benefit, income support or disability benefits, report it to the Department for Work and Pensions.

Protect yourself from other types of fraud and scams