The South West Fraud Forum 2026 Annual Conference BLOG
The South West Fraud Forum 2026 Annual Conference hosted a distinguished lineup of speakers from key stakeholder organisations in the fraud prevention and response ecosystem, each bringing their perspectives to the theme of “Asset Recovery and the UK’s evolving approach to recovering the proceeds of crime”.
Our expert speakers as well as our Crypto & Digital Asset Recovery Panel were:
Dr Amber Phillips – Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the University of the West of England
Rami Gurm – Head of Asset Recovery Scheme (ARIS) and Top Slice at the Home Office
Jane Walters – Specialist Intelligence Unit at Companies House
Peter Highway and Amanda Alldridge – Financial Investigators in the Asset Confiscation Enforcement Team (ACE) as part of the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) in the Avon and Somerset Police.
John Allcock – Fraud Awareness & Education team at NatWest
Dr Penny Dunbabin – Senior Policy Lead in the Fraud Policy Unit at the Home Office
Crypto & Digital Asset Recovery Panel Discussion
Andrew Bird KC – Civil and Criminal Fraud KC at 5 St Andrew’s Hill Chambers
Inés Hamilton Sánchez – Associate Director in Forensic Investigations & Intelligence at Kroll
Rachel Harrison – Senior Associate and Solicitor Advocate in the Finance Disputes team at CMS
Overview
Dr Amber Phillips opened the Annual Conference referencing her academic research into the success measures in Asset Recovery and looking ahead to the deterrent effect on offenders. The talk highlighted how outcomes of Asset Recovery (such as crime reduction) can be overshadowed by the numeric value (e.g. total funds seized) and gave a hopeful glimpse of the future of Asset Recovery by covering the social reuse of assets to benefit communities.
Rami Gurm followed with a valuable insight into the operation of the Asset Recovery and Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS) and its Top Slice scheme. Rami shed light on the often overlooked projects that the Home Office is able to fund via ARIS to incentivise Asset Recovery, cut crime, deliver justice and, importantly, build public confidence in the asset recovery system.
Jane Walters provided updates on the powers granted to Companies House under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. The implementation of these powers has seen a stark reduction in false company addresses and shelf companies, whilst maintaining easy registration for legitimate businesses. As a final touch, Jane shared some helpful methods to utilise the public register to identify potential “red flags” for corporate vehicles for fraud.
Peter Highway and Amanda Alldridge spoke to two important regionally-led initiatives, Project Uplift and Operation Glassveil, being carried out by the Asset Recovery Enforcement team at SWROCU to see more efficient recovery of criminal gains. They specifically highlighted the positive impact when our communities see the implementation of recovery powers under Part 2 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
John Allcock provided an interactive presentation on fraud prevention intelligence updates based on the data and insights banking groups have access to. John walked through examples of the ever-changing methods and tactics of fraudsters, with particular focus on the prevailing business threats (e.g. CEO and invoice manipulation). John further emphasised the evolution of scams with the use of AI and the dark web offering no barriers to a fraud toolkit and leading to higher volumes.
Dr Penny Dunbabin from the Home Office shared invaluable insights into the recently published UK Fraud Strategy 2026 – 2029. Penny covered the practical impact of the three-part ‘disrupt’, ‘safeguard’ and ‘respond’ strategy. ‘Disrupt’ included the creation of, and £30 million investment into, the Online Crime Centre; ‘Safeguard’ included the evolution of the ‘Stop! Think Fraud’ communications campaign, including the launch of a small business checklist; and ‘Respond’ included the Government’s commitment to modernising disclosure so it is fit for purpose in the digital age. Other aspects of the strategy included international collaboration and ongoing commitment to the prevention of the abuse of online infrastructure under the Online Safety Act 2023.
Wrapping up the Conference our expert panellists, Andrew Bird KC, Rachel Harrison and Inés Hamilton Sánchez spoke to the latest approaches and issues in the growing field of Crypto & Digital Asset Recovery covering the civil, criminal and investigatory procedures and enforcement mechanisms available to individuals and organisations.
Each speaker presented their own perspective on how to stay ahead of ever-evolving fraudulent tactics, offering practical insights and solutions for the recovery of the proceeds of crime.
We are extremely grateful to our speakers for their contributions in making the day a thought-provoking success. To learn more about joining, contributing to and sponsoring future events, please contact us at info@swff.org.uk
