Scams and frauds

Find scams and frauds advice from our A to Z list

Credit card fraud is when someone uses your bank card or card details without your permission

Cryptocurrencies can be part of many online schemes, including scams, phishing, and extortion

Direct debit fraud is when your direct debit is changed to pay a scammer instead of the intended person

Holiday fraud is when you pay for fake travel, accommodation, or holiday deals that do not exist

Identity theft is when someone steals your information to pretend to be you, usually for money

Money muling is a type of money laundering where you agree to transfer stolen money through your bank account

Online marketplaces are used by lots of people, but can come with risks of fraud for both buyers and sellers

Phishing is when someone contacts you, pretends to be someone you trust, and tries to make you share your information

Phone scams are any method someone uses to scam you out of money or personal data using a phone

Police impersonation fraud is when someone pretends to be a police officer to convince you to give them money or information

Doorstep crime is when someone pretends to be someone else to get into your home, steal your information, or make you pay for work you do not need.

Romance fraud is when someone tries to form a romantic relationship with you using a fake online persona.

SIM swapping is when someone swaps your phone number into their phone so they can receive your texts and calls.

Ticket fraud (also called "ticket scams") is when someone sells you fake tickets or tickets that do not exist.

Voice cloning scams are when someone uses digital tools to make a copy of your voice so they can pretend to be you

Call 999 now if:

Call 999 BSL if you use British Sign Language (BSL).

Do not go near the suspects or try to stop them. Keep yourself safe.

If you want to tell us about anything that’s not an emergency, you can report it:

If you’re not sure if something is an emergency, you can check: