Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action is being taken to support victims of phishing.

The Home Office has been working with Action Fraud and the NFIB to improve victim support, including support to victims of phishing. Victims who have reported to Action Fraud are provided with feedback about their case, including whether it has been sent to a force for investigation, and if so the name of that force. The NFIB or the force managing the report will ensure effective victim support, under obligations laid out to Government Agencies within the Ministry of Justice’s Victims Code (2013), is received. This can include referrals to support services such as Victim Support, and regular updates on the progress of the investigation through a series of the victim ‘fulfilment’ communications. In urgent cases local police forces will be called in to provide a direct service to vulnerable victims and to prevent re-victimisation.

We are also reviewing the victim experience and what aspects of the victim code are of particular importance for victims of cyber crime, including phishing and cyber crime more generally.