Former florist protecting IBCA from fraud
A former florist turned fraud investigator is helping ensure every penny of compensation reaches people impacted by the infected blood scandal.
Abbie joined the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) in Newcastle in May as a Fraud Manager, bringing years of experience from the Department for Work and Pensions and HMRC.
She is now part of a highly trained team dedicated to preventing fraud and ensuring compensation reaches the right people.
Abbie's role involves using specialist databases to verify official documents and personal information before payments are made.
She has undergone training with the Home Office and HM Passport Office to identify forged identification, and works closely with Claims Managers to verify details including names, addresses, dates of birth, treatment dates and medical conditions.
“People have been waiting years for compensation, so it is vital they feel supported and safe when making their claim," Abbie explained.
"We have significant measures in place to prevent any risk of fraud as early as possible.”
As of 6 November 2025, a total of £2,000,183,671 in compensation has been offered to more than 2,621 people, with all living infected registered with a support scheme now contacted about making their claim.
"It's not always obvious when someone is trying to take advantage of the compensation scheme. If you have any suspicions, please report them straight away.
“You might not fall for a scam, but that doesn't mean someone else won't,” said Abbie, speaking during International Fraud Awareness Week.
The week-long campaign (16-22 November) encourages business leaders and employees to proactively take steps to minimise the impact of fraud by promoting anti-fraud awareness and education.
Fraud prevention is all about ensuring compensation reaches everyone who is eligible, whilst protecting the community.
Having already brought in more than 3,600 claims, IBCA now expects the first claims for people living with infection who have never been compensated to begin this month.
For this next group of claims, IBCA is building the service to confirm an infection before a claim begins, and checking the identity of each person claiming.
When IBCA opens to this group, they will start small, and will prioritise claims for those who are nearing the end of their lives, then by severity of infection and age, as recommended by the Infected Blood Inquiry.
Anyone who intends to make a claim with IBCA for compensation can now register with their recently opened registration service. This is an online service open to all groups who intend to make a claim, please follow this link to register.