Scams: How to stay safe and where to get help

In person scams

These happen when someone approaches you directly. Examples include people distracting you to steal your belongings, door to door sellers pretending to represent a real company or charity, traders offering repairs at inflated prices, tampering with ATMs to obtain your card or PIN, pickpocketing, or falsely claiming you owe them money.

Online scams

Online scams can appear in emails, texts, social media messages, websites, and adverts. These include fake messages asking you to click a link or confirm details, impersonation of banks or official bodies, fraudulent online shops, romance scams, investment scams promising “guaranteed returns”, identity theft, subscription traps disguised as free trials, and fake invoices sent to individuals or businesses.

Staying safe in person

Keep personal belongings close, especially in crowded places. Before letting anyone into your home, always check their ID and verify it using contact details from the company’s official website. Be cautious of traders asking for upfront payments, take care around cash machines, and walk away from anyone who pressures or distracts you. If you want to donate to charity, check that the organisation is genuine.

Staying safe online

Avoid clicking unexpected links or sharing personal information unless you are certain who you are communicating with. Banks and government bodies will never ask for your password by phone, email, or text. Use trusted online retailers and be wary of offers that seem too good to be true. Never send money to someone you have not met in person. Keep your devices updated, use strong passwords, turn on two factor authentication, and read the terms carefully before signing up for any free trial.

Who to report a scam to

Reporting a scam helps prevent further harm.

Main reporting bodies

Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) is the national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. You can also contact the police on 999 in an emergency or 101 for non urgent situations. Citizens Advice provides consumer support and passes information to Trading Standards. Phishing emails can be forwarded to the National Cyber Security Centre at report@phishing.gov.uk, and scam texts can be sent to your mobile network on 7726. Scam adverts can be reported to the Advertising Standards Authority. You should also contact your bank immediately if your accounts or money are at risk.

Reporting in person scams

Crimes such as distraction thefts, rogue traders, or suspicious door to door activity should be reported to the police. Citizens Advice can help with issues involving poor quality traders or fake charity collectors.

Reporting online scams

Phishing emails, scam websites, impersonation calls, romance scams, investment fraud, fake job offers, subscription traps, hacking, and prize scams can be reported through Report Fraud. You should also report scam posts or adverts directly on the social media platform where you saw them.

If you have lost money

Contact your bank as soon as possible. They may be able to freeze your account or recover some of your money. This should always be your first step.

Can the UKICC Help?

The UK International Consumer Centre can direct you to the right organisation. However, scammers rarely respond to our service, so we normally cannot help recover lost money. We are able to share information with our partners in the European Union to support awareness and prevention.