Fraud and scams helplines
Every day, people throughout the UK are falling victim to fraud and scams of one kind or another. It could be an unexpected prize draw or lottery win, or a chance to invest in an exciting new money-making or investment programme even a romance scam. Remember - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Action Fraud
Helpline: 0300 123 2040
Have you been defrauded and not got your money back? If the answer is yes, please get in touch. We are here to help you. The aim of this site is for you to report, find support and information to protect yourself against fraud.
Crime Stoppers
Report a crime: 0800 555 111
Protecting yourself against financial fraud
Staying Safe from Romance Fraud
We believe that everyone has the right to feel safe from crime. Whoever you are, wherever you live, from communities to companies. You can contact us by phone on 0800 555 111 and online, 24/7, 365 days a year. We also share advice on how to protect the people you care about from crime so everyone can feel safe. We never ask for your personal information and do not track your device. Call us or fill in our anonymous online form.
Take Five Stop Fraud
Take Five is a national campaign that offers straight-forward and impartial advice to help everyone protect themselves from preventable financial fraud. This includes email deception and phone-based scams as well as online fraud – particularly where criminals impersonate trusted organisations.
National Cyber Security Centre
Dealing with suspicious emails and text messages
Helping to make the UK the safest place to live and work online. We support the most critical organisations in the UK, the wider public sector, industry, SMEs as well as the general public. When incidents do occur, we provide effective incident response to minimise harm to the UK, help with recovery, and learn lessons for the future.
Citizen’s Advice
Citizens Advice Consumer Service: 0808 223 1133
Scams Action Advisor: 0808 250 5050
Check if something might be a scam
What to do if you've been scammed
Scams are schemes to cheat people out of their money. Other names for scam include fraud, hoax, con or swindle. Scams come in a variety of ways: post, phone, email, online, sometimes with a knock on the door. There are hundreds of scams: fake lotteries and prize draws, bogus health cures, dodgy investment schemes, pyramid selling, phishing - to name just a few. New scams appear as more people become aware of them and as criminals try to keep one step ahead. Every year more than three million people in the UK fall victim to scams losing hundreds and even thousands of pounds. It is estimated that nearly half of people in the UK (48 per cent) have been targeted by a scam and that £3.5 billion is lost to scams every year.
Victim Support – Are You OK?
Victim Supportline: 0808 16 89 111www.victimsupport.org.uk
Victim Support is the independent national charity which helps people cope with the effects of crime. They provide free and confidential support to help you deal with your experience, whether or not you report the crime as well as helping witnesses cope in going to court. Our trained volunteers offer someone to talk to in confidence, information on police and court procedures, help in dealing with other organisations, information about compensation and insurance as well as links to other sources of help.
Metropolitan Police
Personal fraud and how to prevent it
Fraud is when a person lies to you, or ‘scams’ you, to gain an advantage, such as taking your money or learning private information about you. This could be via email, text, phone or in person, either on the street or on your doorstep.
Snopes – Fraud & Scams
The definitive internet reference source for scams
FSA (Financial Services Authority
Contact: 0800 111 6768 (freephone) or 0300 500 8082
Calls using next generation text relay, please call us on (18001) 0207 066 1000.
Banking and online account scams
The FSA is an independent body that regulates the financial services industry in the UK, who promote efficient, orderly and fair markets by helping retail consumers achieve a fair deal.
Age UK
Helpline: 0800 055 6112
We believe that age needs respect. It needs kindness. Sometimes it needs help. Age UK aims to improve later life for everyone through our information and advice, services, campaigns, products, training and research.
Independent Age (Advice and Support for Older Age)
Advice line: 0800 319 6789
We are an established voice for older people, providing the ‘ABC’ of advice, befriending and campaigning. Our free advice service offers unrivalled expertise on social care and welfare benefits, particularly on complex issues such as social care funding. Our range of detailed guides and factsheets provide information on the most common issues faced by older people, their families and carers. Our Wise Guides provide practical, accessible advice and information for the over-65s on finances, staying independent and getting the most out of later life and our befriending and practical support services provide crucial companionship, comfort and security for as long as it's needed - if necessary, for life.
Think Jessica
The Think Jessica campaign was started by Jessica's daughter Marilyn Baldwin in 2007 after five years of struggling to find help for her mother. Her aim was to educate others about the powerful psychology criminals use to trap their targets and make them understand how this is strong enough to turn them against their loved ones and those trying to help them. Think Jessica is now a registered charity supported by countless agencies, organisations and police forces nationwide and is committed to making people aware of the danger and financial implications caused by postal and telephone scams, educating professionals and protecting the most vulnerable members of our society from illegal practices.