If you need to report financial fraud in the UK, here’s how to do it and who to contact — and when.
✅ Main reporting body: Action Fraud
- Action Fraud is the national fraud and cyber-crime reporting centre for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. police.uk+2met.police.uk+2
- How to report
- Online: Go to the Action Fraud website and fill in the report form. Action Fraud+1
- By phone: Call 0300 123 2040 (in core hours, usually Mon–Fri 8 am–8 pm) to report fraud or suspicious activity. police.uk+1
- If you’ve lost money, or suspect you’ve been defrauded, you should report it — even if you don’t have full details. Reports go to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), which assesses whether police should investigate. Action Fraud+2nafn.gov.uk+2
📞 Other authorities & when to use them
- If the fraud involves a financial institution regulated by Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) — e.g. investments, pension schemes, loans, insurance — you can also report to the FCA. FCA+2FCA+2
- If you lose money or have been hacked as a result of a scam, contact your bank or financial provider immediately (via official contact details, not those given by the scammer). The bank might be able to freeze your account or block further losses. FCA+2FCA+2
- If the fraud involves suspicious emails, phishing messages or malicious websites (even if you haven’t lost money yet), you can report to:
- The national phishing report service: forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk
📝 What information you should provide when reporting
When submitting a report to Action Fraud (or other bodies), try to include:
- What happened (dates, times, details of the suspicious communication)
- Any financial loss (amount, bank or card where money went)
- Contact details of the fraudster (phone number, email, website, address if any)
- Any evidence (screenshots, bank statements, message logs)
Even if you’re unsure, giving as much detail as possible helps build a case if others report similar frauds.
⚠️ What to do immediately if you suspect fraud
- Don’t provide any more personal or financial data.
- Avoid clicking links, opening attachments, or responding to suspicious calls/emails. GOV.UK+1
- Contact your bank or payment provider immediately if you’ve already transferred money or shared banking details.
- Report the scam — using the routes above — so authorities can act or flag the scam.
