How to Notice fraud, bribery and corruption?

🚫 What isn't fraud, bribery or corruption

These are civil disputes, not criminal financial offences:

Wills, inheritance or family disagreements

Visitation or parenting disputes

Landlord/tenant disagreements

Faulty goods or mis‑sold items

Poor services or refunds

These usually go through civil law, trading standards, mediators, or ombudsmen.

Use this flow based on what’s happening.

Call 999 immediately if:

Someone is in immediate danger

Violence or threats of violence are occurring

The fraud is happening right now and the suspect is still present

Textphone: 18000

Text 999 if registered with emergencySMS

999 BSL for British Sign Language interpreter

Report to:

Action Fraud (UK’s national fraud reporting centre)
Website: actionfraud.police.uk
Phone: 0300 123 2040

National Crime Agency (NCA) Bribery, corruption, money laundering offences
Website: nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk

Use whistleblowing channels:

Forward suspicious emails: report@phishing.gov.uk

Forward scam texts to: 7726 (free)

Create a decision flowchart for officers or members of the public

Summarise this for neighbourhood briefings

Turn this into a poster or training sheet

Provide examples tailored to PCSO situations

Would you like it in a flowchart, a public leaflet, or a training version for your shift?

Message Sent By
Sian Muddeman
(Staffordshire Police, PCSO, East Staffordshire)