The Economic Security and Cyber Crime Committee met on Thursday, 1 October 2026, to discuss a range of issues concerning fraud, cybercrime, and economic security. Key discussions included an update from the Deputy Commissioner on strategic assessments and operational highlights, a review of report fraud complaints, and the policing plan performance report. The committee also received an update on innovation and growth activities related to economic security and cybercrime.

Deputy Commissioner's Update

The Deputy Commissioner, Nik Adams, provided an update on the force's activities, highlighting the launch of the first public strategic assessment report for Report Fraud. This report included victim and business insights and was supported by a roundtable discussion with operational partners. The force is actively engaged in various conferences and speaking opportunities to discuss their work in the context of police reform and future vision. The HMICFRS inspection of fraud across policing was reported to be progressing well, with positive engagement from forces and momentum building behind improvements. An update on the Domestic Corruption Unit was also included, noting its recent formal adoption as a unit.

Concerns were raised by Councillor Andrew Lentin regarding the approach to engaging with telecommunications and social media companies, given the prevalence of criminal activity originating from these platforms. The Deputy Commissioner, with input from Chris, explained that engagement with the private sector is multi-layered, involving strategic task forces, senior executive engagement, and operational-level engagement targeting specific fraud types. The Date Safe programme, which works with the online dating app sector, was cited as an example of this approach. Chris also confirmed that the rollout of the Report Fraud feature across the majority of banks is progressing, with a summary project plan to be provided.

Questions were also raised about the clarity and human element of outcome letters for complaints, and the expected resolution timeline for the backlog of complaints. The Deputy Commissioner acknowledged these points, stating that the letters have been refreshed to be clearer and more human. Regarding the backlog, it was indicated that resources have been allocated to address it, with an expectation of resolution in the coming weeks.

Councillor Randall raised concerns about potential recruitment difficulties for the Nexus concept due to police reform uncertainty and sought clarity on timelines for commitment. The Deputy Commissioner explained that the development of Nexus has been slowed down to align with the wider police reform agenda, but opportunities are being explored to pilot elements within existing frameworks. A detailed business case is being developed, aligned with a Home Office review of the fraud landscape.

Further discussion ensued regarding a hybrid virtual model for Nexus, with a member questioning the cost-effectiveness of a virtual versus physical model. The Deputy Commissioner acknowledged that while virtual elements are being improved, key operational aspects, particularly around accountability with the tech sector, require in-person collaboration. The search for suitable accommodation for Nexus is ongoing, with costings to be incorporated into the business plan.

The committee also discussed the fragmented landscape of data sharing and the role of the City of London Police within it. The Deputy Commissioner explained that the force, in collaboration with the NCA, is looking at how data aggregators like the Global Signal Exchange can facilitate signal sharing. The City of London Police aims to support system-level responses and provide more refined insights, leveraging their trusted flagger status to automate data sharing. The Online Crime Centre is focusing on the signal space, while the force operates more in the reported space with greater certainty. The need for a Home Office government strategy to hold platforms and tech companies accountable for their use of insights was also highlighted.

Summary of Report Fraud Public Complaints Data

Detective Superintendent Tom Hill presented the summary of Report Fraud public complaints data for Q1 2026/27. A total of 168 complaint cases were logged, a decrease of 12% from the previous quarter. The most common allegation category was Police action following contact, largely driven by unmet expectations regarding Report Fraud investigations, such as a lack of contact or no investigation.

A backlog of complaints has developed, primarily due to limited dedicated resources for non-Schedule 3 complaints. However, significant focus has been placed on addressing this backlog, leading to improved timeliness for newly received complaints. The Professional Standards Department and Report Fraud are working collaboratively, and the current resource model for complaint handling is under review.

A member raised concerns about the increasing complexity of complaints due to the use of AI and questioned whether AI is being used to analyse these AI-generated complaints. It was noted that a wider discussion on the use of AI is scheduled for the next REC meeting and may feature at a PEP board. The complexity of AI-generated complaints, often pushing for extreme outcomes, is making it challenging for professional standards colleagues. Chris, involved in the work, confirmed that the outcome letters have been refreshed to remove technical policing language and improve clarity. He also stated that resources have been allocated to address the backlog, with expected resolution in the coming weeks.

Policing Plan Performance Report Q1 2026/27

The committee received the Policing Plan Performance Report for Q1 2026/27, which assesses national policing performance against the National Policing Strategy for Fraud, Economic and Cyber Crime 2023-28.

Concerns were raised about a widening gap in unreported frauds, the persistence of legacy data issues, and the reduction in reports made to Report Fraud despite improved campaigning. The Deputy Commissioner explained that while campaigns are ongoing, significant gains in narrowing the unreported fraud gap will come from ingesting bulk data sets, such as UK Finance data, which is a longer-term plan. The issue of legacy data is being addressed through manual reconciliation, with a full year's data expected by January 2027. Regarding the reduction in reports, it was suggested that more can be done with other organisations to encourage reporting and data sharing.

Questions were also raised about the role of the National Coordinators Office in supporting forces with poor fraud scoring and the timeline for the ARIT asset seizure system to become operational. It was confirmed that the National Coordinators Office is providing professional assistance to forces that did not perform well in fraud investigations. The ARIT system is expected to go live in September 2027, replacing the current Joint Asset Recovery Database (JARD), which has an end-of-life date. The delay is due to the complexity of building a system that meets the needs of 183 different agencies.

The issue of disruption timelines for prevention services was also discussed, with a member expressing concern that a 14-day timeframe for disruption is too long. Chris clarified that the 14-day figure refers to the average response time from industry to confirm action has been taken, not the time it takes for the disruption itself, which is typically hours or days. The need for stronger legislative support and industry action to expedite these processes was highlighted.

Regarding asset recovery figures, which were noted as being below benchmark, it was explained that the reduction is primarily due to resourcing gaps within the ROCU network, exacerbated by uncertainties surrounding police reform. Efforts are underway to address this through the economic crime levy to employ more financial investigators.

The committee also discussed the APMIS database, confirming it is owned by the NCA and used for recording disruptions. The current system for recording disruptions is the APMIS database, and while civil recovery orders are issued by the courts, their tracking within APMIS is noted as having a lack of confidence.

Finally, a question was raised about when a proper paper on the new structure of the policing plan and Cyber Resilience Centres (CRCs) would be provided, with the expectation that it could be presented at the next committee meeting.

Innovation & Growth Update

The committee received an update on Innovation & Growth (IG) activities related to economic security and cybercrime. It was noted that the Office of the Policy Chair is now leading on the Corporation's position on economic security, which may lead to a change in the committee's terms of reference.

The report highlighted IG's support for the CoLP through the police reform process, including embedded support in governance forums and business engagement. IG is also working on the RegTech Strategy Group, focusing on data access, digital verification, and investment and skills, with a consolidated report planned for December.

The Digital Verification Orchestrator (DVO) Initiative was also discussed, with the publication of its DVO Blueprint outlining a proposed model for a trusted digital verification ecosystem. The next phase involves implementation and adoption, including a pilot led by UK Finance. The DVO is described as a voluntary, consent-based trust layer aimed at scaling digital verification and unlocking significant economic benefits.

The committee noted the report, with no questions raised.