Debate contribution: Tackling Scams and Improving Public Protection

Debate contribution by Ms Diana Armstrong on 9 December 2025.

MLA

Ms Diana Armstrong

Party at the time

Ulster Unionist Party

Date

9 December 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Tackling Scams and Improving Public Protection

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5296397

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I beg to move

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. The goal of the motion is to draw attention to the real and growing threat that scams and fraud pose to people across Northern Ireland. From rogue traders preying on our elderly constituents to the most sophisticated cyber-enabled fraud, the challenge is local and global. The scale and sophistication of fraud and scams has stepped up markedly across Northern Ireland in recent years. In the 12 months to the end of October 2024, over 5,200 fraud reports were made to the PSNI, with close to £19 million in reported losses, ranging from ticket scams to six-figure impersonation frauds. Fraud is not a victimless crime. It devastates lives not only through financial loss but by leaving victims feeling invaded, humiliated and unsafe in their own home. The elderly are particularly vulnerable when they are deliberately targeted by fraudsters online and in person. It is our collective responsibility across communities and law enforcement to protect the most vulnerable from those who would prey on them. While mobile phones and the internet have opened the door to more sophisticated scamming, the perpetrators still use traditional methods as well. Postal scams are still rampant and appearing through letter boxes. Last summer, Enniskillen residents received convincing lottery letters, claiming that the recipient had won a fortune. In fact, it was quite the opposite: those letters were designed to pry out bank details and personal information. Let us be clear: scams are not victimless crimes. They are deeply traumatic and cause profound financial and emotional harm. This September, it was reported in my local press that an Enniskillen woman had lost over £40,000 in a romance scam. She had been groomed on social media for months and was persuaded to transfer money and gift cards. Of course, the person on the other end of the phone was not who they said they were. Such scams are not just, as I said, financially devastating. Many victims never come forward. Some are embarrassed, some blame themselves and others feel that reporting will not make a difference. As a result, the true scale of harm is almost certainly greater than the official figures suggest. What is particularly worrying about many of the scams is how convincing they are. Scammers seek to present themselves as trusted companies or public bodies using familiar branding and professional language, although that is not always the case. Poor language and grammar are often telling signs of a scam. Many victims genuinely believe that they are responding to routine communications from organisations that they deal with regularly. That is not carelessness; it is organised, deliberate deception. That is especially common through email and, increasingly, on social media. We have seen a rise in fake accounts posing as customer service teams for well-known companies. Airlines are a frequent example, particularly on platforms like X, where people often post publicly about cancelled or delayed flights. Scammers actively monitor those posts. When someone is already stressed and looking for help, a fake account moves in quickly, appearing helpful and legitimate. In reality, the aim is to extract personal details or encourage payments under false pretences. The emotional impact can be severe. Victims speak about anxiety, loss of sleep and a lasting loss of confidence. Older people, in particular, can become afraid to answer the phone or use the internet at all. That fear can lead to isolation and wider decline in well-being. Families and carers are often left trying to provide reassurance and support, while also dealing with the practical and financial fallout. Let us not forget the grave human cost. Consider the tragic case of Ronan Hughes, a teenager from Coalisland, who took his own life after being tricked online and blackmailed — a devastating demonstration that fraud is not just a financial crime. Scammers see any new incentive as a means of exploitation. We see it annually, when a new scheme is announced for affordable heating or insulation. A barrage of text messages is sent out to vulnerable people, demanding personal information and sometimes even threatening customers with bills if they do not respond. Such scams create huge fear among the most vulnerable in our society. Members will know that border communities are particularly exposed to scams linked to organised and cross-border criminal gangs. This autumn, the PSNI and its counterpart, an Garda Síochána, highlighted a cross-border criminal gang that was targeting farmers and agribusinesses on the border. The gang has been using cloned cards, fake bank transfers and redirected deliveries to steal high-value machinery. It is an issue with global ramifications, as it is often said that fraud and scams are borderless crimes. Members may recall a high-profile telemarketing fraud case in the USA this year, when Alan Redmond, a Belfast-born businessman, was charged by US federal prosecutors in an alleged multimillion-dollar insurance fraud scheme. We also remember the case of Patrick and Matthew McDonagh from Irvinestown in my constituency, who were jailed last year after scamming elderly American homeowners out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in a phoney home-repair business. That case was described by an FBI agent as a "a travelling roadshow of fraud". Increasingly, small businesses and sole traders are being targeted. They are people who work long hours, often on small margins, and rely on digital platforms to trade. A clear example is the coordinated scam targeting local takeaway firms through sophisticated phishing attacks. Between December 2022 and 2024, it is estimated, businesses in Northern Ireland lost over £200,000 through that scam, alongside customer-focused phishing scams and fraudulent orders. In those cases, business accounts were compromised, payments were redirected and income disappeared with little warning. For some, that was not a minor disruption; it threatened their ability to pay staff, meet rent or keep trading at all. Those were everyday, local businesses doing exactly what they needed to do to operate in a modern economy. We must thank the PSNI, the National Crime Agency, ScamwiseNI and, indeed, the main banks for their work in preventing scams. Other bodies, such as councils, have also stepped up, partnering with police, banks and the telecoms industry to amplify awareness and offer practical guidance. The motion calls on the Minister of Justice:

"to bring forward a coordinated, cross-departmental strategy"

to strengthen our opposition to scams and their perpetrators. The strategy should focus on prevention, which is always better than detection, especially with fraud. We need tough penalties for those who commit fraud, with sentencing that reflects the economic and personal trauma inflicted. Judges must be trained in the impact of fraud, and full victim impact statements should be presented in court. The inclusion of fraud in the DOJ's penalty notice proposals is, frankly, disappointing and sends the wrong message. Fraud is a calculated crime and should never be met with a mere slap on the wrist. That is why the motion is so important. Raising awareness, strengthening support mechanisms —.

Yes, certainly.

I thank the Minister for her comments. Yes: any actions that can be taken to bring perpetrators to court are essential. Raising awareness, strengthening support mechanisms and sharing best practice are vital steps. At a community level, rogue traders continue to target vulnerable people, cold-calling at homes and pressuring residents into unnecessary and overpriced work. We must support initiatives such as no-cold-calling zones, empower communities to say no and ensure that clear advice is available at clinics, faith groups and constituency offices. With police resources stretched, voluntary groups often have a crucial role to play. Cyber-enabled fraud is now a daily threat. Simple steps, such as using strong passwords, enabling two-step verification and staying vigilant, can make a real difference. Businesses must invest in prevention, but we must also ensure that young and old alike are aware of the dangers. We need to ensure that victims of such crimes get emotional support. The victim of a romance scam needs not just a crime reference number but signposting to trauma services and help to secure their digital life against becoming a future target. The motion is timely and necessary. Fraudsters exploit technology and our trust. We must have a cross-cutting response that spans public bodies, banks, businesses and institutions in Northern Ireland. We must send a clear message that the people of Northern Ireland will not be easy prey for fraudsters and scammers. We must strengthen prevention; improve detection and enforcement; and enhance data-sharing between agencies and financial institutions.

I commend the motion to the House.

1,412 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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