People can unwittingly fall victim to banking fraud or become involved in deceitful transactions, which can result in allegations of fraud. There are many types of banking fraud, including:

• Bank card fraud
• Cheque fraud
• Counterfeit cheque fraud
• False accounting fraud
• Prime bank guarantee fraud
• Account takeover
• Bank account fraud
• Email fraud

At JMW, we represent individuals accused of banking fraud, customers who have been a victim of banking fraud and wish to recover assets of compensation*, and companies and financial institutions connected with banking fraud as complainants or suspects.

We act fast to secure the necessary evidence to ensure that facts can be properly established. Many individuals and companies can be improperly linked to suspicious financial activity or can suffer unnecessary loss because the appropriate action is not taken at an early stage.

*Please note that we do not offer a free advice service or ‘no win no fee’ funding to consumers wishing to complain about the service offered by their bank. Our representation is offered in the context of identifiable banking fraud and asset recovery. If you are in doubt, we will happily discuss your requirements, but we may point you to an alternative service.

Boiler room fraud relates to the selling of shares that are heavily overpriced, worthless or fabricated. A fraudster will offer people the chance to invest in these shares with the promise of high returns.

There is usually a fine distinction between a fraudulent investment and one that is simply unsuccessful. Our solicitors will advise you on the action to take, as we know that legitimate professionals and businesses can be unfairly scrutinised and unwittingly become accused.

The most common charge for boiler room fraud is a conspiracy to defraud, which essentially means an agreement to defraud someone. In such cases, it is the role of the prosecution to prove dishonesty, and a conviction cannot be made without this proof. For more information on conspiracy to defraud, take a look at our dedicated page. 

There are many types of fraud that a business can face, some of which results in accusations against a company. We have helped many businesses faced with these allegations protect their interests and mount a defence that limits or avoids the impact company fraud can have.

Examples of the cases we have advised and represented clients on include:

• Carousel fraud
• Computer fraud
• Counterfeiting
• Diversion fraud
• False accounting
• Insider dealing and market abuse
• Pension fraud
• Performance fraud and accounting investigations

Income tax fraud is investigated by HMRC, which has a specialist office tasked with investigating evasion worth between £75,000 and £500,000. Cases involving more than £500,000 are taken care of by the Specialist Investigation Office. 

Allegations of income tax fraud are serious and require the knowledge and experience of a specialist team. Our solicitors regularly handle HMRC requests for disclosure, and we have a comprehensive understanding of the limits to the powers of HMRC and can protect you from disclosing information that you are not obliged to reveal.

We can advise on the legality of the methods undertaken by HMRC to obtain information and explain the protections and challenges that are available to you. We will use our knowledge and experience to make sure any disputes are conducted fairly and commercially

Fraudulent investment schemes make lavish promises to investors, assuring them that they will make a lot of money very quickly. In most cases, there is rarely a real investment to be made, with shares or products being fabricated. 

Scammers will take an investor’s money, leaving the investor in financial difficulty. Typical fraudulent investment schemes might include Ponzi or pyramid investments, land banking schemes, and high-yield schemes.

Charges of investment fraud are very serious and require expert legal help. We have helped many people successfully defend against allegations of operating fraudulent investment schemes. We help by:

• providing advice during interviews held under caution;
• responding to any dawn raids;
• developing legal arguments;
• building a defence case and obtaining evidence.   

All investment schemes are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), with investment activity required to comply with the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Regulated activities include:

• Accepting deposits
• Managing investments
• Advising on investments
• Establishing certain types of pensions
• Advising on/arranging home finances

The vast majority of our clients are legitimate individuals and firms who became unwittingly involved with a fraudulent investment scheme. In some cases, business names and identities are stolen or cloned.

Allegations of missing trader intra-community (MTIC) fraud are highly damaging, and charges can result in large fines and even custodial sentences. It is imperative that you seek legal advice and representation to give you the best chance of reaching a satisfactory conclusion.

MTIC fraud is similar to carousel fraud and involves the theft of VAT. Those involved in MTIC schemes will import goods VAT-free, sell them on to domestic buyers with the VAT added, and keep the tax rather than pay it to the government as they are legally required to do.

Unfortunately, it is very easy for innocent parties to become embroiled in fraudulent trading schemes, particularly if there are many different suppliers in a chain and there is not much face-to-face contact between firms working together. 

We have represented many people who have become unwittingly involved in MTIC as they were acting as the middleman in a supply chain; in most schemes, it is only the importer and exporter who are knowingly committing an offence.