McArthur: Urgent support needed as fraud rates soar by 97%

With crimes of fraud increasing by an astonishing 97% since 2018, Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP has called on the government to equip Police Scotland with the resources needed to combat fraud.

The latest Recorded Crime statistics show that fraud rates have increased by 97% since the year ending December 2018, with numbers nearly doubling from 8,702 to 17,125 crimes.  

Mr McArthur said:  

“This is an astonishing rise that should be sounding the alarm in the Justice Secretary’s office.  

“Fraudsters cause financial hardship and distress to their victims, often targeting those who are vulnerable. Unfortunately, Scottish Ministers have been asleep at the wheel while planned cuts to police and court budgets threaten to make matters worse.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats are calling for the Scottish Government to increase support for Police Scotland so that fraud teams are equipped to bring down these alarming rates. We also need to see more action and investment in our justice system to deal with backlogs, cut crime and boost public confidence.  

“People need to know that if they have been a victim of fraud, they can go to the police and their case will be investigated. Right now, with these sky-high rates, many may see this as a hopeless exercise.”