What happens next?
The information you have provided will be assessed and evaluated by our Intelligence Unit. The results may assist us in a current case or we may pass the information on to another agency or police force as part of an Intelligence package.
Information which includes any personal data (such as your contact details) will only be processed, retained or disclosed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
Please rest assured that all information you provide will be handled professionally and with the utmost sensitivity.
I have reported a fraud to you, will you now launch an investigation?
Although we welcome and rely on your information to assist us in current cases or for future intelligence gathering, it is likely that your information will be passed onto another agency or police force as part of an Intelligence package. We will contact you for your consent in these instances.
We do not normally launch an investigation referred to us by members of the public:
- As we are only permitted by law to investigate serious and complex fraud, and corruption.
- Almost all our cases are referred to us from the police or other government departments.
- We are a relatively small organisation and we can only take on a limited number of cases each year.
- This means that unless you are providing information in relation to the most serious and complex fraud, and corruption, it is unlikely that we will launch an investigation.
If you wish to report that you have been the victim of anything other than the most serious and most complex fraud and corruption you should contact the police or the appropriate agency.
Further advice can be found at 'Where to get help'.
If you report your case to another organisation, it is advisable to mention that you have also reported it to us.
You may also wish to seek independent legal advice or contact the Citizens Advice Bureau. Free legal advice is available through the Community Legal Service on 0845 345 4345.
Will you let me know what you have done with my information?
For reasons of operational security and to ensure that our suspects are not alerted to any action which we may take, we cannot tell you about any enforcement action which may follow.
If we require clarification or any additional information we will contact you using the details you have given us.
Please be aware that it is our standard practice to neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation.
However, if you do not hear from us please do not think that we have not acted on the information you have provided. Given the nature of serious and complex fraud, and corruption, our work can often take a very long time.
Once again thank you for contacting the SFO and if you have any additional information please don't hesitate to contact us again.
For next steps, please see 'Worried about your situation?'
