NCA criticised for not investigating alleged bank forgery

Following a BBC News investigation in June 2019, MPs urged the NCA to investigate the matter.

According to the BBC, the NCA has received at least 19 boxes of evidence relating to 362 incidents accumulated by the Bank Signature Forgery Campaign.

The evidence included reports from handwriting experts. They’re report claimed that in many cases sent to the NCA, signatures used over the same name could not have been signed by the same person, and the same signatures had been signed over the same names.

The NCA says it is making a “thorough assessment” of those materials. A spokesperson said: “We are continuing to assess the material, including additional information supplied in May 2020.

“Together with partners in the FCA and SFO, we are making a thorough assessment to determine whether there are grounds for a criminal or regulatory investigation.”

However, the anti-corruption campaigners claim that the NCA has not investigated the matter and not a single complainant has been contacted by the NCA.

MP and Treasury committee member Steve Baker said: “I find it extraordinary that the NCA has received so much detailed evidence of forged documents and signatures by banks. They were asked by the Treasury Committee over a year ago to investigate this but they have never even embarked on an investigation.

“The NCA seems to be ignoring calls from the Treasury committee and our local police and crime commissioner to investigate the forgery of signatories at banks.

“These forgeries could have cost my constituents and people across the country their homes. It’s really important for faith in our institutions that the National Crime Agency gets on and investigates these very serious allegations.

“But the NCA hasn’t investigated properly. That is not good enough and I’m calling on the NCA either to investigate now - or to explain why not.”