Report procurement fraud
Procurement fraud is any unlawful activity at any stage of the procurement cycle, from the decision to procure, to the conclusion of the contract. It includes the purchase and commissioning of goods, works and services by the council. It can be perpetrated by those inside or outside the organisation.
If you suspect a case of procurement fraud you can:
- Report suspected fraud
- Contact us, or text us at 07797 870 192 starting your message with the word 'fraud'
Examples of procurement fraud
- price-fixing, bid-rigging and cover pricing to maximise profit margins or share out contracts
- false information provided to secure a contract
- claiming payment for goods or services not provided
- delivering goods or services of substandard quality
- overpricing or duplicate invoicing
- misuse of procurement cards/credit cards
- creation of bogus suppliers
- bribery, kickbacks and corruption
Why we need to stop procurement fraud
Every penny that is defrauded from the Council (and taxpayers), takes money away from vital services and resources. In the longer term, this may mean a reduction in services or higher council tax bills.
In June 2020 the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published a review into the risks of fraud and corruption in local government procurement, estimating procurement fraud and error to be between £275 million and £2.75 billion per year for English Councils.
- Contact Corporate Fraud
- corporatefraudteam@durham.gov.uk
- 03000 266 745
-
Our address is:
- Corporate Fraud Team
- Durham County Council
- County Hall (Room G90)
- Durham
- County Durham
- United Kingdom
- DH1 5UL
