Fraud by false representation under the Fraud Act 2006 — a conduct crime complete the moment a dishonest lie is told with an eye on gain or loss.
No victim need be deceived and no money need change hands: the offence is finished as soon as the false representation is made with the right state of mind. This chapter sets out the offence in outline within the single fraud offence of the 2006 Act, then breaks it into its actus reus and mens rea elements. It examines what counts as a representation — its subject matter, its forms, and whether one can be made to a machine — before turning to when a representation is false, the knowledge requirement, and how dishonesty is assessed. It closes with the intent to make a gain or cause a loss, including gains for others and keeping what one already has, and the line that separates fraud from theft.
