Fraud

Fraud

Fraud Act 2006

The Fraud Act 2006 (FrA 2006) came into force on 15 January 2007. It repealed all the deception offences in the Theft Acts of 1968 and 1978 and replaced them with a single offence of fraud which can be committed in three different ways. Offences under FrA 2006 are not result based offences, so evidence from a victim is not required. The defendant's conduct must be dishonest but no gain or loss actually needs to have been made. Nor does a causal link have to be established between the intention and any gain or loss.

FrA 2006 applies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For information on fraud offences in Scotland, see Practice Notes: Comparison of criminal fraud in Scotland with England and Wales and The investigation and prosecution of financial crime in Scotland.

A person may be guilty of an offence under FrA 2006 whether or not they were in England and Wales at any material time and whether or not they were a British citizen at any time. All the offences under FrA 2006 may be prosecuted in this jurisdiction

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