Civil fraud lawyers

Our expert fraud solicitors advise and represent companies and individuals who wish to bring a civil claim after being the victim of fraud or who have discovered an issue which could lead to a regulatory investigation and/or criminal prosecution. We also advise individuals being investigated for fraud or who face civil and/or criminal fraud claims.

You can be confident that our team will take full control of your claim or defence. We regularly advise on high profile, complex cases that involve asset tracing and freezing as well as cross border issues. We have the experience and resources to successfully manage serious fraud cases.

Our experience

We have advised and represented businesses and individuals on matters concerning:

• Investigating suspected business fraud

• Employee fraud

• Fraud by abuse of position

• Defending complex claims involving significant sums, including cases where assets are based abroad.

• Cryptocurrency and online fraud, payment and non-payment.

• Acting for creditors in cases involving fraud before or during insolvency proceedings where company directors have dissipated funds to themselves and wound up the company.

• Bringing and defending freezing application injunctions, both in the UK and internationally.

• Assisting clients on disclosure orders and preservation of documents, data, property or other materials, including advising on the consequences of breaching such orders.

• Bringing or defending contempt of court allegations.

• Defending conspiracy to defraud claims.

In addition to direct fraud, our team has vast experience in bringing claims against third parties such as banks who have indirectly caused loss via statutory and/or regulatory breaches involving compliance, policy, money laundering, or negligence.

Types of business fraud

Fraud occurs where there is a dishonest intent, which is financial, to harm a business or person. Types of fraud include (but are not limited to):

• False accounting

• Expenses fraud

• Fraudulent trading

• Fraudulent Misrepresentation

• Identity theft

• Debit and credit card fraud

• Tax fraud

What is false accounting?

False accounting occurs when a person or organisation (normally the latter) presents accounts that have been deliberately altered in order to provide a false representation of the company’s finances or economic activity. False accounting can also involve destroying accounts.

Civil fraud claims

Although we normally think of fraud in criminal terms, it is possible to bring a claim for damages in the civil courts. It can be extremely hard to prove fraud under the criminal standard of proof (beyond reasonable doubt).

In a civil fraud claim, the standard of proof is ‘on the balance of probabilities’ which is easier to meet. Using the civil court for recovering losses from fraud is also becoming more common due to the low prosecution rate of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).

We can swiftly move to apply for UK and/or international freezing orders to prevent assets from being sold or disbursed. In addition, our solicitors can seek a court order to force innocent third parties such as banks and insurance companies to disclose certain documents and information (known as 'Norwich Pharmacal' Orders).