Britain's Security Minister Dan Jarvis has pledged stronger measures to combat cyber crime and fraud, describing the issue as one of the country's most pressing security threats, News.az reports citing BBC.
Speaking at the City of London Police Authority Board on Tuesday evening, Jarvis cited official figures showing more than 4 million incidents of fraud in England and Wales in the year ending March 2025, accounting for 44 percent of all crimes recorded by the Crime Survey. He added that one in five British businesses and 14 percent of charities had fallen victim to at least one cyber attack last year.
"The statistics paint an alarming picture," Jarvis said. "Fraud and cyber crime devastate individuals and businesses, and their proceeds fuel organized crime, terrorism and hostile state activity."
Jarvis outlined steps the government has already taken, including the launch of a National Fraud Squad with 400 specialist investigators, the implementation of the Online Safety Act holding tech companies accountable, and investment in regional cyber security centres to support small businesses. He also highlighted a new Domestic Corruption Unit and Britain's first fraud memorandum of understanding signed with Nigeria.
The warning comes shortly after several major companies were hit by cyber incidents. On Sept. 2, Jaguar Land Rover said it had been forced to shut down its global systems following a cyber attack, severely disrupting retail and production activities. The automaker added there was no evidence that customer data had been stolen, and it was working to restore operations in a controlled manner.
