HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) said in a statement that its staffers had identified and stopped attempts to commit fraud during compliance checks on the tax-credits portal. New measures are being developed to ensure that the site is secure, the agency said.

The attempted fraud involved internal information about workers at the government's Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the HMRC spokesman said.

The criminal investigation revolves around the apparent use of a number of DWP employees' identities in fraudulent tax-credit claims. Because the criminal investigation is ongoing, further details on the matter can't be released, the spokesman said.

Nokia, supplier trade barbs over pact

ESPOO, Finland -- Nokia Corp. last week denied acting unfairly toward a Taiwan-based supplier of Digital Subscriber Line technology that has publicly berated the mobile phone maker over its contracting practices and the recent cancellation of a product order.