Overview

This bill makes it a crime to impersonate a UK public sector website to collect payments or personal data. The aim is to protect citizens from online scams and fraud targeting government services.

Description

The Public Sector Website Impersonation Bill criminalizes the act of impersonating a public sector website for the purpose of obtaining payments or personal data. This includes websites mimicking central government, regional, local authorities, public law bodies, or public undertakings. The bill specifies penalties: a fine for summary conviction in all UK jurisdictions, with the amount considered in relation to any financial gain from the crime. The Secretary of State can issue guidance on how to identify genuine government websites, helping citizens avoid scams. The Act applies to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland and comes into force 90 days after it's passed.

Government Spending

The bill is not expected to significantly impact government spending. The primary cost will be associated with the creation and dissemination of guidance materials by the Secretary of State, which will likely be relatively minimal.

Groups Affected

This bill will primarily affect:

• Individuals and businesses: Protected from fraud and financial loss resulting from impersonation of government websites.
• Cybercriminals: Face potential fines for impersonating public sector websites.
• Government departments: Responsible for issuing guidance to help citizens identify genuine websites.

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