Fraud Act 2006 

The Fraud Act 2006 is the primary piece of anti-fraud legislation in the UK and it has been in force since January 2007.

In contrast to the previous legislation that it replaced, the Fraud Act established a clear legal definition and offence of fraud for the first time in the UK, and for the main offences established by the Act it removed the element of deception as a characteristic of this kind of criminality.

Section 1 of The Fraud Act sets out provisions for a general offence of fraud. There are several new offences created the main three being sections 2, 3 and 4.

The act also creates new offences of obtaining services dishonestly and of possessing, making and supplying articles for use in fraud, as well as containing a new offence of fraudulent trading applicable to non corporate traders.

Click here for a summary of the Fraud Act 2006.