UK Scam & Fraud Statistics
Reported fraud losses and case volumes in the United Kingdom, drawn from UK Finance and Action Fraud annual reports.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
In the United Kingdom, two main bodies publish official fraud data: UK Finance (the banking and finance industry body) and Action Fraud (the national fraud reporting centre). Their figures measure different things — UK Finance tracks losses flowing through financial institutions, while Action Fraud records police-referred reports from the public.
Fraud is substantially under-reported in the UK; the Office for National Statistics estimates that far more incidents occur than are captured in either dataset. All figures below are from named reports and should be read alongside their original methodology notes.
Key figures
Over £1.1 billion in 2024 across 3.31 million confirmed cases
Total fraud losses reported through UK financial institutions
Source: UK Finance Annual Fraud Report 2025 (covering 2024 data) (2024)
£450.7 million in 2024, down 2% on 2023
Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud losses
Source: UK Finance Annual Fraud Report 2025 (covering 2024 data) (2024)
£722 million in 2024, up 2% on 2023
Unauthorised fraud losses through UK banks
Source: UK Finance Annual Fraud Report 2025 (covering 2024 data) (2024)
318,848 reports in 2024, with reported losses of approximately £2.3 billion
Fraud reports received by Action Fraud
Source: Action Fraud (via RSM UK Freedom of Information request, 2024 data) (2024)
Key takeaways
- According to UK Finance, over £1.1 billion was stolen through UK financial institutions in 2024.
- APP fraud — where victims are tricked into sending money to criminals — fell by 2% to £450.7 million, its lowest level since 2021.
- UK banks prevented an estimated £1.45 billion of attempted fraud in 2024, equivalent to 67p of every £1 targeted.
- Action Fraud received nearly 319,000 reports in 2024, with the most common type being online shopping and auction fraud.
- Fraud figures from different UK sources are not directly comparable; each has a different scope and methodology.
Frequently asked questions
What is APP fraud?
Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud occurs when a criminal tricks a victim into voluntarily transferring money to a fraudster-controlled account, often by impersonating a bank, HMRC, or a legitimate supplier. Because the victim authorises the payment themselves, it is harder to recover.
Why do UK Finance and Action Fraud figures differ?
UK Finance measures losses reported by member banks and financial institutions. Action Fraud collects reports directly from the public and passes them to police. They capture different events and may overlap, so the figures should not be added together.
How much UK fraud goes unreported?
A significant proportion. The Office for National Statistics Crime Survey for England and Wales consistently estimates fraud volumes far higher than official reports, as many victims do not contact banks, police, or Action Fraud.
What was the most common fraud type reported to Action Fraud in 2024?
Online shopping and auction fraud was the most commonly reported fraud type, with 52,980 cases recorded in 2024, according to Action Fraud data.