The Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland are participating in the 2018/19 National Fraud Initiative.
Audit Scotland is conducting a data matching exercise to detect fraud and other crimes by comparing data from a number of organisations in the private, public and third sector.
Data matching involves comparing computer records held by one body against other computer records held by the same or another body to see how far they match.
Computerised data matching allows potentially fraudulent claims and payments to be identified but the inclusion of personal data within a data matching exercise does not mean that any specific individual is under suspicion.
Where a match is found it indicates that there may be an inconsistency that requires further investigation.
No assumption can be made as to whether there is fraud, error or other explanation until an investigation is carried out. The exercise can also help bodies to ensure that their records are up to date. The aim of the exercise is to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in the use of public money.
The SPA is required to submit personal data to Audit Scotland for the purposes of their data matching exercise under the National Fraud Initiative.
More information can be found here.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
