The University of Portsmouth's Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crime (CCEC) has hosted an international event, bringing together experts, researchers, and practitioners from across the globe to address the growing threat of fraud.
Held online, the 6th Winter Economic Crime Symposium on January 16 provided a platform to discuss critical developments in the fight against economic crime. Eight speakers from seven countries discussed a variety of topics linked to organised and cross-border fraud.
These speakers, along with hundreds of registered delegates, explored key methods of these crimes and underlying policing landscape.
The symposium tackled pressing issues, including fraud as organised crime, innovative fraud methods, changes in policing approaches, and global developments spearheaded by the United Nations.
The keynote address was delivered by Roxana-Andreea Mastor from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) , who shared insights into the UN's efforts to combat organised fraud through new tools, typologies, and legislative measures.
These include the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime , signed by 192 countries, and a recent UNODC Global Programme on Implementing the Organized Crime Convention.
Fraud, driven by technological advancements and globalisation, has rapidly grown in scale, with organised fraud becoming the most common crime in some regions. Fraud and computer misuse accounted for nearly half (49 per cent) of the 8.5 million crimes experienced by UK adults in 2023 .
Meanwhile, a study led by the University of Portsmouth suggests 26 per cent of adults in the UK (14 million) commit at least one economic crime a year.
The symposium highlighted the importance of international collaboration to tackle the growing issue, with participants reflecting on how new UN initiatives and global programmes are shaping legislative and policy responses.
Supported by the Journal of Economic Criminology and the International Society of Economic Criminology , the event fostered dialogue among scholars, students, and professionals committed to tackling economic crime. Discussions underscored the need for innovative solutions and enhanced cooperation to stay ahead of fraudsters' evolving tactics.
The event was organised by Dr Branislav Hock and Professor Mark Button from the University of Portsmouth's Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crime (CCEC) , with the support of the Faculty of Humanities of Social Sciences .
Fraud is one of the most significant challenges in economic crime today. Events like this are essential to building knowledge, sharing ideas, and uniting efforts across sectors to develop effective strategies to combat it.
r Branislav Hock, University of Portsmouth's Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crime (CCEC
Dr Hock said: "Fraud is one of the most significant challenges in economic crime today. Events like this are essential to building knowledge, sharing ideas, and uniting efforts across sectors to develop effective strategies to combat it."
The Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crime was founded in 2022 to bring together extensive knowledge to enhance research, teaching and innovation in these fields.
Its aim is to harness, coordinate and develop the cybercrime and economic crime expertise across the University's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice , the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences , and the wider institution including the School of Computing , the Department of Psychology , and the Faculty of Business and Law .
The centre's Director, Professor Button, said: "The CCEC continues to lead the charge in addressing economic crime, and the success of the symposium reaffirms its role as a hub for critical conversations and research on these pressing issues."
The full programme of speakers at the event can be found online here .
