Scams and warnings

Scam awareness

What to look out for:

Scams are crimes that affect people across society with distressing and sometimes disastrous consequences. Many go unreported either because the consumer does not spot something amiss or because people who become victims of scams feel a sense of shame.

To understand and prevent these cruel crimes it is essential that consumers get the information they need to spot scams in the first place; report them when they are targeted and get the advice they need to help protect themselves in future.

Each year, millions of people across the UK fall victim to scams. Recent assessments indicate that financial losses are significantly higher than previously estimated, with UK consumers losing more than £11 billion to scams in the past year alone. Official reporting systems captured over £2.3 billion of these losses; however, with as many as seven in ten victims not reporting the crime, the true scale is likely far greater. These figures highlight the growing sophistication of scammers and the urgent need for continued public awareness and robust fraud‑prevention measures.

Scam Awareness is all about consumers getting together with the help of Trading Standards and other organisations to create a community of informed consumers who are alert to the dangers, who know where to make a report of a scam and are ready to talk about their experiences to help prevent others falling victims to the scammers.

Always remember...

  • If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
  • It you haven’t bought a ticket – you can’t win it.
  • You shouldn’t have to pay anything to get a prize.
  • If in doubt, don’t reply. Bin it, delete it or hang up.
  • Persuasive sales patter? Just say: "No Thank You".
  • Contacted out of the blue – be suspicious.
  • Take your time – resist pressure to make a decision straight away.
  • Never send money to someone you don’t know.
  • Walk away from job ads that ask for money in advance.
  • Your bank will never attend your home to collect cash, your PIN, payment card or chequebook if you are a victim of fraud.
  • Your bank will never phone you to ask for your PIN or your online password.
  • Genuine computer firms do not make unsolicited calls to help you fix your computer
  • Don’t suffer in silence – speak out about scams and help others fall victim to the scammers.

What are scams?

Scams are schemes to con people out of their money. Other names for scams include fraud, hoax, con, swindle or cheat. Scams come in a variety of ways: post, phone, email, online, sometimes via a knock on the door.

There are hundreds of scams: fake lotteries and prize draws, bogus health cures, dodgy investment schemes, pyramid selling, phishing – to name just a few. These may change as more people become aware of them and as scammers attempt to keep one step ahead.

Fraud is still a major problem in the UK. In 2024, there were around 3.31 million cases, which is more than the year before. 
Criminals stole £1.17 billion in total, showing just how damaging these scams can be for people and businesses. These numbers show why it’s important for everyone to stay alert and take steps to protect themselves from scams.

People from all walks of life and of all ages get conned because scammers are clever and always on the lookout for dubious new activities.

There are some practices which may leave consumers deeply frustrated or even out of pocket, for example, a legitimate company providing a poor service or a utility company representative persuading people to switch without any financial benefit.

Common Scams to Watch Out For

Fraudsters are continually developing new methods to deceive people, often using urgency, authority, and emotional manipulation to obtain money or personal information. The following guide outlines the most common and emerging scams affecting the UK today.

Pension Scams

Fraudsters exploit new pension freedoms to target savers with unrealistic or misleading offers.

Be wary of phrases such as:

  • One‑off investment opportunities
  • Free pension reviews
  • Legal loopholes
  • Cash bonuses

How the scam works:

  • Contact usually arrives unexpectedly by phone, email, or text.
  • Scammers build trust and pressure victims into rapid decisions.
  • Victims may lose their savings and / or face unexpected tax penalties.

Telephone Impersonation (Vishing)

Impersonation scams continue to rise, including criminals posing as banks, police, HMRC, or even the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Nearly 5,000 FCA impersonation attempts were reported in early 2025 alone.

Typical tactics:

  • Urgent requests to transfer funds to a “safe account.”
  • Claims of suspicious activity requiring immediate action.

Courier Scams

Courier fraud remains a significant threat, especially for older or vulnerable people.

How it works:

  • Victims receive an unsolicited call claiming banking fraud.
  • The caller arranges for a “courier” to collect the bank card or documents.

Subscription Traps

Fraudsters use misleading “free trials”, mostly online, to lock consumers into costly long‑term subscriptions, particularly for health, beauty, and nutrition products.

Warning signs:

  • Hidden terms in small print
  • Difficulty cancelling
  • Unexpected recurring charges

Romance and Dating Scams

Romance fraud remains high, with losses often severe both emotionally and financially. Reports continue to match previous pandemic‑level highs. Multiple independent and authoritative sources reported that UK victims lost more than £106 million to romance scams in the 2024/25 financial year.

How these scams unfold:

  • Scammers build long‑term emotional connections online.
  • They fabricate crises and request money urgently.

Computer Software Service Scams

Fake tech‑support callers claim issues with a victim’s computer. These scams are still prevalent across the UK.

Key warning signs:

  • Unsolicited calls requesting remote access in an attempt to steal personal and financial information
  • Requests for payment to “fix” non‑existent issues

Online Shopping Scams

Online shopping fraud takes many forms, and delivery scams have sharply increased.

Common variations:

  • Bogus websites or auction sites
  • Phantom products with second‑chance offer to purchase

Emerging Scams in 2026

AI‑Driven Impersonation Scams

Scammers now use deepfake voice and video tools to impersonate family members, colleagues, or authority figures, pressuring victims into urgent transfers.

 

Authorised Push Payment (APP) Fraud

APP fraud continues to be one of the most damaging scam types. This fraud is a type of scam where a victim is tricked into willingly sending money to a fraudster’s bank account. Unlike unauthorised fraud—where someone takes money without your permission—APP fraud occurs only after the victim approves the payment, but under false pretences.

New rules introduced in 2024 require banks to reimburse many victims up to £85,000, but scammers continue to evolve their tactics.

 

Investment & Cryptocurrency Scams

Scammers promote fake investment platforms, fraudulent crypto recovery schemes, and high‑return opportunities that do not exist. These often target financially vulnerable individuals.

 

Energy, Holiday & Job‑Related Scams

Fraudsters exploit economic pressures with offers such as cheap energy tariffs, low‑cost holiday deals, or attractive job roles requiring upfront fees or personal data.

Some not so new scams

  • Advance fee - A letter or email offers a huge payment in return for help in getting money out of a foreign country. People are promised a slice of that money for helping with the transfer. They may be asked for bank details. Once they have these the fraudsters raid the victim’s bank account.
  • Clairvoyants and psychics - Mailings from a so-called psychic or clairvoyant make predictions. Some warn of dire consequences unless a fee is paid, some promise a bright future with details to follow if people pay up first. Those who send money get little or nothing in return and are likely to be bombarded by further scam mailings.
  • Phishing - an email apparently from the receiver’s bank arrives requesting them to update, validate or confirm details. It’s designed to trick people into revealing personal information and passwords so that scammers can access their account. SMShing is when mobile phone text messages are used to lure people onto fraudulent websites or invite them to call a premium rate mobile number or download malicious content via the phone or web. Voice Phishing or Vishing is the criminal practice of obtaining personal or financial information over the telephone.
  • Pyramid selling - People are told they can earn money by recruiting new members to a money-making venture. This is pyramid selling and it is illegal – only a tiny minority make money, everyone else loses.  What’s current?

What can you do to tackle scams?

  • CHECK with a trusted friend, relative or neighbour
  • GET advice
  • REPORT scams and suspected scams to the Citizens Advice consumer service
  • TELL family, friends neighbours so that they can avoid scams

There are some other easy steps to cut down on unwanted telephone, postal and doorstep calls:

Where to get help and advice

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