HAMPSHIRE: A dishonest former school bursar, a case of VAT fraud across four south coast restaurants and a scam dating website were among cases of reported fraud in Hampshire last year, according to BDO’s Fraud Track research.

The accountancy and business advisory firm’s analysis, which examines all reported fraud cases over £50,000, found that the total number of cases in 2014 rose to a record 546 – the highest in 12 years.

However, the total value of fraud UK-wide fell by 31 per cent to £720m, suggesting fraud was low in value but high in volume.