The Scale of Fraud in the UK - Fraud Statistics 2026

investment scam
Written By Stuart McFadden

Summary:

How Much Fraud is There in the UK?

Fraud is growing in the UK with the Office for national statistics reporting 4.5 million fraudulent incidents occurred in the year ending March 2026 and 444,993 cases were filed by CIFAS members (averaging over 1,200 cases per day). 

The figures show that fraud is growing at an exponential rate and it doesn’t just affect vulnerable and elderly victims any more. Anyone, of any age, can be targeted and lose money.

At Refundee, we see this first hand: fraudsters are becoming more and more sophisticated in their tactics, which makes fraud even harder to spot than ever before. 

What the figures do not show, is the devastating psychological impact fraud can have and how damaging this can be for a victim. If you have been a victim of fraud, It is important to remember that support is available and you are not alone. 

How Much Money is Lost to Fraud in the UK?

UK Finance reported that £1.28 billion was lost through payment fraud in 2025, an increase of four percent on the previous year. 

Of the £1.28 billion lost to payment fraud, £576.4million was lost to Authorised Push Payment fraud (APP fraud) in 2025, a 19% rise on the previous year, £221.5 million stolen from investment scams in 2025, a 40% rise on the previous year.

The figures illustrate the increasing prevalence of fraud incidents in the UK and highlight the substantial financial losses suffered by victims, prompting UK Finance to recognise fraud as a matter of national security concern.

What the figures don’t show is that of the £221.4 million stolen from investment scam victims, only 48% of this was refunded to victims. Compare this to romance scams where 67% was refunded and purchase scams where 78% was refunded. 

Fraud As a Share of All Crime

Fraud is the biggest and single most common type of fraud in the UK, with 45% of all crime comes from fraud. Around 1 in 14 adults were the victim of fraud estimated in the year ending September 2025.

Fraud Statistics By Type

As previously noted in the article, the extent of fraud losses can vary depending on the specific type of scam employed. Fraudsters are highly skilled in their methods and will assess which schemes are more likely to succeed than others.

Here are the main statistics per fraud type:

Online and Cyber-enabled Fraud

Fraud in the UK has shifted to predominantly online, 67% of fraud reported in the UK is cyber-enabled, and the fraud related cyber incidents rose to 61% from 53% two years earlier, showing that much of the rise of fraud offences are due to cyber related incidents. 

Contact of the victim and the fraudster usually appears digitally, either through email, WhatsApp, or social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The shift in tactics used by fraudsters mirrors the way in which the world is communicating digitally, rather than physically. 

Furthermore, with the advancements in AI technology, fraudsters are leveraging these developments to further deceive individuals through Authorised Push Payment (APP) scams, particularly those involving impersonation scams.

Who is Targeted?

Fraud does not discriminate, anyone can be targeted, however there are certain groups that are more targeted by fraudsters than others.

According to the Office for National Statistics, the odds of being the victim of fraud were greater for those who are disabled, compared to non disabled people and for women compared to men. 

Fraudsters regularly target vulnerable individuals and the figures show the increased trend in fraudsters targeting those of a vulnerable group.  

Those with a household income of £52,000 or more were more likely to be victims compared with those on lower incomes. 

Younger adults are a particular focus for online scams: the 16-34 range accounts for over 50% of scam victims in the UK. The increased use of digital technology makes younger adults more likely to be seen and engage with scams, and therefore more likely to become a victim. 

Reported Reimbursement Rates For Fraud Victims

The PSR’s Mandatory Reimbursement Model was implemented in October 2024, establishing the legal obligation to refund fraud victims and thereby enhancing protections.

This development was regarded as a significant milestone for those affected by fraud, and the data indicates that the reimbursement scheme is effectively benefiting certain victims.

The PSR reported that since its introduction in 18 months 88% (£316m) of the money lost to APP scams has been reimbursed to victims. Whereas UK Finance reported the reimbursement rate to be 61%, with PSR noting the differences being due to the following reasons: the introduction of the reimbursement policy, a significant change in the definition of APP scams, calculation methods (e.g. for reimbursement rates) and the number of firms in the data set.

They cite the main difference between the two being down to the difference in classifications of Authorised Push Payment Scams between the PSR and UK Finance.

Reporting and Outcomes: What the Statistics Don't Show

The figures underestimate the full scale of the problem of fraud in the UK. They focus on reported issues and provide limited information about what happens after a scam has occurred.

It is estimated that over 86% of fraud goes unreported, and of the reported fraud, only around 1 in 7 incidents was reported to the police.

The issue extends further; in 2021, the Crown Prosecution Service prosecuted just 7,609 defendants for fraud, representing only around 0.75% of fraud crimes reported that year.

This demonstrates that the criminal justice process is a difficult and lengthy route for victims seeking to recover from fraud. This is where pursuing a claim through your bank, either yourself for free or through a specialist firm like Refundee, is a more effective way of actually recovering your money.

Where These Figures Come From

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Is fraud the biggest crime in the UK?

  • Yes, the Crown Prosecution Service reported that fraud now represents the highest share of crime across the UK, with the share estimated to be between 45% of all crime in the year ending September 2025.

What is the current fraud trend in the UK?

  • Fraud trends have shifted and Authorised Push Payment (APP) scams currently represent the highest amount of victim losses from fraud, with £576.4million lost to Authorised Push Payment fraud (APP fraud) in 2025, a 19% rise on the previous year.

What is the most common type of fraud in the UK?

  • According to the National Crime Agency, cyber crime is the most common way fraudsters conduct crime. 67% of frauds reported in the UK are cyber-enabled, and the fraud-related cyber incidents rose to 61 per cent from 53 per cent two years earlier, showing that much of the rise in fraud offences is due to cyber-related incidents. 

If You've Been Affected By Fraud

If you’ve been affected by fraud, do not blame yourself; fraudsters are professional criminals who are becoming more and more sophisticated. The statistics show the scale of the problem; however, they also show that recovery is possible if you have lost money.

It’s a free process to claim yourself, or you can use a specialist firm such as Refundee.

We have recovered over £140 million for our clients so far, and we are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

We work on a no-win, no-fee basis, so you only pay us if we are successful.

See if you’re eligible to recover your funds by starting your free eligibility check.

Start Your Claim

More about Refundee

Here are the technical bits:

Refundee Ltd is a claims management company authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of regulated claims management activity FRN: 937096.

Registered with the Information Commissioner's Office; registration number: A8986071.

Registered office address: Refundee, 3rd Floor, 86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE.  

Registered as a company in England & Wales; number: 12855931.

Written by Stuart McFadeen, Co-founder at Refundee.

Stuart specialises in banking regulations and unauthorised fraud recovery, helping victims navigate claims against UK banks that have failed in their duty to protect customers. He has featured regularly in the media discussing fraud and victim rights, including the BBC and ITV.

Stuart McFadden
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