Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have contacted Action Fraud regarding potential pension scams since the start of the covid-19 outbreak.

The Government is committed to protecting people from pension scams and pursuing those who perpetrate these scams.

In the period from 24 March 2020 to 25 September 2020, 166 reports of pension fraud were received by Action Fraud.

The latest available data on Action Fraud reporting, covering the year to March 2020, can be found in table A5 of Crime in England and Wales on the ONS website, currently available here:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/crimeinenglandandwalesappendixtables

We have launched a gov.uk page on coronavirus-related fraud and cybercrime, including easy-to-follow steps for people to better protect themselves from online scams, as well as signposting all relevant advice and tips:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-fraud-and-cyber-crime

Victims in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are encouraged to report these crimes directly to Action Fraud, the centralised reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime. Those in Scotland should report directly to Police Scotland, via the 101 service.