Data analysis specialist Synectics Solutions is partnering with the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) to make intelligence reports on suspicious activity more widely available in a bid to help the motor finance and insurance industries better guard against fraud. Alerts from NaVCIS investigations will now be integrated into Synectics National SIRA solution, which the company says is the UK’s largest syndicated database of cross-sector customer risk intelligence.
As a result, all users of National SIRA, including Finance and Leasing Association (FLA) members, will be able to automatically cross reference potential customer details with a richer data pool.
Chris Hallett, insurance product manager and head of SIU at Synectics Solutions (pictured), explained: “We are always looking to forge partnerships that help both parties achieve shared goals. In this case, the idea actually came from our FLA registered National SIRA members, with many of them suggesting what a powerful resource it would be to be able to automate checks with NaVCIS alerts and cross-reference information with wider risk intelligence data. Now, they can. It’s a win/win for everybody and we are delighted to be working with such an important law enforcement agency.”
Investigations data
NaVCIS investigations help identify those suspected of fraud or vehicle-related criminal activity, with the evidence, intelligence and supporting analytical work passed to police colleagues for further action.
As part of its role as a national policing unit that bridges the gap between policing and industry, NaVCIS issues intelligence alerts regarding ongoing investigations to FLA members who are registered for the service, along with law enforcement agencies and authorised stakeholders.
These alerts flag the names and details of individual victims whose personal data is being used to gain illicit finance by criminals, in addition to those responsible for the fraud. Finance companies can use this intelligence to recognise incidents of ID theft and prevent finance being taken out fraudulently, thereby depriving criminals access to vehicles.
Under the new agreement this intelligence will be integrated into Synectics National SIRA solution, which currently holds in excess of 300 million records.
DCI Brett Mallon, head of NaVCIS, commented: “As a centralised, specialist police capability, we are dedicated to developing and sharing intelligence to tackle vehicle finance crime and associated serious organised crime.
“Anything we can do to make that intelligence easier and quicker to utilise is a huge step in the right direction. As many FLA members already use Synectics Solutions’ National SIRA, it makes absolute sense to integrate our data into that solution to automate name checks in a way that hasn’t been possible previously.”
The agreement will also evolve into a two-way data sharing partnership, with Synectics delivering intelligence derived from National SIRA data via its Special Investigation Unit (SIU) to NaVCIS to help expediate their investigations.
Vehicle finance crime
NaVCIS is a national police unit hosted by Hampshire Constabulary. A not-for-profit agency it operates independently, under the direction of the National Police Chief Councils’ vehicle crime lead ACC Jenny Sims.
A not-for-profit agency, the organisation is 100% funded by industry under the provisions of the Police Act 1996. In recent years NavCIS has helped the police seize more than 5,000 vehicles, with a combined value of more than £75 million.
