Hill Dickinson Fraud Unit [HDFU] and the Metropolitan Police Service [MPS] have cemented their six year counter-fraud partnership with an information sharing agreement. The arrangement will see Operation Catcher, the Metropolitan Police Unit which targets and investigates organised criminals involved in “Crash for Cash”, gain access to Hill Dickinson’s exclusive NetFoil database.
The Netfoil database is the largest of its kind in Europe, capturing up to 250 fields of information in relation to a claim and holding data on over 50million claims. This rich mix of both claimant and defendant data, in combination with further police investigation, will assist in the accurate identification and targeting of organised criminal gangs. Since its establishment in 2010 Operation Catcher has handled over 50 investigations and made over 300 arrests.
Detective Superintendent John Hollands, Head of Traffic Intelligence and Criminal Investigation Department at MPS said: “The data contained within the Netfoil database can contain the missing link in many organised insurance fraud cases. This Information Sharing Agreement will give us invaluable access to accident management company data uniquely available through Netfoil; integrated with insurer and cross industry claimant data also contained in the database. The ability to link suspect individuals through as little information as a mobile number will assist with operational efficiency and HDFU has assigned a SPOC to assist officers with detailed intelligence requests.”
Chris Hallett, Director of Intelligence and Complex Fraud at Hill Dickinson commented: “There is a natural fit between the intelligence we hold and the objectives of the Operation Catcher Unit focused on public safety on the roads. We share a common goal to disrupt organised criminality related to motor insurance, which in turn will reduce insurance fraud and its impact on honest customers. Netfoil will provide alternative avenues of investigation and expedited access to claimant data to MPS, complimenting the access they already have to insurer data via agreement with the IFB. This makes MPS the only police force in the UK with access to both insurer and claimant industry populated databases and the associated benefits.”
