Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Investigate serious fraud cases and tackle organised crime affecting vulnerable people.
- Company: Join the Department for Work and Pensions, a vital public service.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career development, and the chance to make a real difference.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of fighting fraud and protecting communities from criminal activity.
- Qualifications: Interest in investigations and ability to handle sensitive information.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities to collaborate across law enforcement agencies.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Do you have an interest in dealing with criminal investigations and/or law enforcement? Are you interested in helping vulnerable people by tackling criminal activity? Are you motivated to deliver the right outcomes in challenging situations? The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) could be the place for you. This is a hugely important public service, and our challenge is bigger than ever.
DWP's Economic Serious and Organised Crime (ESOC) team is the arm of DWP's Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt Directorate that deals with complex and sophisticated attacks on DWP benefits and grants payments - usually by Organised Crime Groups. DWP are looking for people with an interest in investigations to help tackle organised criminality against DWP through prosecution and/or disruption activities. This is an exciting opportunity to join our Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt (CFCD) Directorate on a team committed to tackling fraud encountered through our ESOC team.
You will be at the forefront of tackling serious and organised crimes against DWP, which often has links into wider criminality such as modern slavery, human trafficking, and identity fraud. You will work across multiple law enforcement agencies, on high profile and serious fraud operations involving many suspects in multi-million-pound criminality. Investigators must keep pace with modern methods of criminality, including money laundering and the use of cryptocurrencies to mask funds derived from fraudulent activity.
What we focus on:
- Modern Slavery / Human Trafficking - vulnerable people exploited to abuse the benefit system.
- Web Enabled Fraud - Universal Credit (UC) and other online frauds on an industrial scale.
- Insider Threat - internal abuse of position to facilitate fraud.
- Identity Fraud - large scale use of false and hijacked identities to attack the welfare system.
- Organised Economic Crime - large scale abuse of the system including organised criminals setting up fake / shell companies providing false invoices / payslips to claim benefits and payments.
DWP is the lead agency for tackling economic serious and organised criminality against the welfare system. DWP's ESOC investigators are part of a national team with geographical representation throughout the UK. We are responsible for, and committed to detecting, preventing, dismantling and prosecuting organised criminals facilitating benefit offences and abuse. Serious offenders often receive substantial custodial sentences.
The role of ESOC is primarily to investigate fraud in the welfare system perpetuated by organised criminal groups. This mostly involves working across multiple law enforcement agencies on high profile and serious fraud operations involving multiple suspects in multi-million-pound criminality.
Key tasks:
- Working directly to an Officer in Charge (OiC) of a criminal investigation.
- Undertake interviews under caution in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE).
- Submit prosecution files in accordance with Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and National File Standard guidance.
- To undertake tasks as directed by an OiC to support the progression of investigations.
- To research a variety of information/intelligence sources and collate relevant information that will be required for investigation and evaluate information in accordance with legislation and guidance.
- Complete and approve Requests for Information (RFIs) as required.
- To record, retain and review material collected during the course of the criminal investigation for disclosure purposes.
- To understand the need for a range of interventions, including 'prevention', 'disruption' and 'prosecution' in ESOC investigations.
- To handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately, ensuring all information/evidence is processed in accordance with legislation and guidance.
- To attend Court hearings as directed by the OiC or to assist the OiC.
- To complete Disclosure Schedules as advised by the OiC.
- To process enquiries/applications in line with established procedures for handling and disclosure of information relevant to Court Proceedings.
- To prepare information for disclosure and disseminate to CPS within agreed timescales.
- To apply initiative and knowledge gained in the handling of complex enquiries.
- To quickly respond to emerging threats by disrupting live attempts to defraud DWP benefit systems.
- To demonstrate a strong commitment to delivering a high standard of service at all times by managing own workload, prioritising to ensure all deadlines are met.
- To be aware of the Unit's objectives and ensure maintenance of, and adherence to, quality standards, service level agreements and customer requirements, highlighting areas for improvement where appropriate.
Disability Confident: A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer.
Fraud Investigator employer: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Contact Detail:
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Fraud Investigator
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching common questions and practicing your responses. Think about how your skills align with the role of a Fraud Investigator and be ready to share relevant examples from your experience.
✨Tip Number 3
Show your passion for tackling fraud! During interviews, express your commitment to helping vulnerable people and your interest in criminal investigations. This will set you apart as someone who truly cares about the work.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the DWP team in the fight against organised crime.
We think you need these skills to ace Fraud Investigator
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight your interest in criminal investigations and law enforcement. We want to see how your skills and experiences align with the role of a Fraud Investigator, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant background!
Showcase Your Motivation: Let us know why you’re passionate about tackling fraud and helping vulnerable people. A personal touch can really make your application stand out, so share any experiences or insights that fuel your motivation for this important work.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and ensure your key points shine through. This will help us quickly grasp your qualifications and enthusiasm for the role.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our official website! It’s the best way to ensure we receive your details directly and can process your application efficiently. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you understand the key issues surrounding fraud investigations, especially in relation to organised crime. Brush up on topics like modern slavery, identity fraud, and the use of cryptocurrencies in criminal activities. This knowledge will not only impress your interviewers but also show that you're genuinely interested in the role.
✨Practice Your Interview Techniques
Since you'll be conducting interviews under caution, it's crucial to demonstrate your interviewing skills. Consider doing mock interviews with a friend or mentor. Focus on how to ask open-ended questions and handle sensitive information, as this will be a big part of your job.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Be prepared to discuss specific examples where you've tackled complex problems or made decisions under pressure. The interviewers will want to see how you approach challenges, especially in high-stakes situations like fraud investigations. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers.
✨Understand the Role's Impact
Demonstrate your awareness of how the role contributes to the wider goals of the DWP. Talk about the importance of tackling fraud and protecting vulnerable individuals. Showing that you understand the significance of the work will set you apart from other candidates.
