Phishing and smishing are scams where fraudsters send messages pretending to be from a legitimate organisation, such as your bank, HMRC, PayPal, Apple or Amazon. 

Phishing usually happens by email, while smishing happens by text message, but both work in similar ways. Messages often create urgency, for example, claiming your account has been locked or there’s been suspicious activity, and encourage you to click a link, open an attachment, or contact the sender directly. These links can lead to fake websites designed to steal your personal or financial information, and attachments may contain computer viruses. 

Links usually take you to a fake website designed to steal your personal or financial information. Some scams also use attachments, such as forms or coupons, which may contain computer viruses. 

If you receive a suspicious email or text message, do not click links or open attachments. Always go directly to the organisation’s official website or use the phone number on your debit or credit card to check whether the message is genuine. 

If you receive a suspicious email or text message, do not click links or open attachments. Always go directly to the organisation’s official website or use the phone number on your debit or credit card to check whether the message is genuine. 

If you’ve shared bank details, contact your bank straight away. Change any affected passwords and report the scam to Report Fraud. You can also get help from Victim Support. If you’ve shared bank details, contact your bank straight away. Change any affected passwords and report the scam to Report Fraud. You can also get help from Victim Support. 

If you’re sure the call is fraudulent, just hang up the phone. 

If you’re not sure, hang up the phone and call your bank/building society on the number on your debit or credit card.

To avoid line-hijacking, wait a few minutes before calling back or use a different phone.

Identity theft is when your personal details are stolen and used for criminal activity. Identity fraud can happen when those stolen details are then used to take out credit, access accounts, or commit other types of fraud in your name. 

If you’ve had your identity stolen, it’s important to act quickly to limit further harm and get the right support. 

You can find out how to report identity theft, what your bank may be able to do to help you recover money, and what support is available if you’ve been left in financial difficulty on the Report Fraud website. 

For more detailed guidance on identity fraud and identity theftOpens in a new window, see Report Fraud’s dedicated guide. 

If you're worried about identity fraud consider protective registrationOpens in a new window. A CIFAS marker may be added to your credit file to warn lenders that your identity has been compromised.

Investment scams can take many forms. You might see them promoted on social media using fake celebrity endorsements, through hacked accounts of people you know, or via emails, phone calls or even someone coming to your door. 

The aim is usually the same – to persuade you to hand over money for an investment that doesn’t exist, or isn’t what it claims to be. 

A common warning sign is being contacted unexpectedly about an investment opportunity; legitimate firms will not contact you out of the blue. 

To help you check if an investment or pension opportunity is a scam, see our guide on How to spot a pension scam or the FCA’s guidance on how to Protect yourself from scamsOpens in a new window

Report scams to the FCAOpens in a new window or Police ScotlandOpens in a new window, even if you have not lost money.

Or, if you’ve had money stolen through suspected investment fraud first contact your bank and then report it online to Report FraudOpens in a new window or call them on 0300 123 2040.

Another growing way of people being scammed is via cryptocurrencies.

Cryptocurrency is digital money. It doesn’t exist in physical form – so there are no coins or notes. Cryptocurrencies are all transferred, stored or traded electronically.

See our blog How to spot cryptocurrency and Bitcoin scams.

Job scams can take many forms, from fake remote or ‘work from home’ roles to offers of jobs abroad that require you to pay fees for visas, training or accommodation. Some scams promise quick or easy money but are designed to take your personal details or payments. 

Scammers may contact you unexpectedly and pressure you to act quickly, often using messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram instead of formal recruitment channels. 

• You have to pay to work: legitimate employers will not ask you to pay for security checks, training, equipment or to ‘unlock’ tasks or earnings. 
• Communication is unprofessional:interviews or job offers happen entirely over WhatsApp, Telegram or text message, rather than a formal video call, email address or office-based process.Requests to move money (money muling):if a job asks you to receive money into your personal bank account and transfer it elsewhere, stop immediately. This is money laundering and could leave you facing criminal charges. 
• The company details don’t add up:the role may use fake websites, copied branding, or testimonials that can’t be verified. You may struggle to find a genuine company phone number or address. 
• Personal details are requested early: scammers may ask for copies of your passport, driving licence or bank details before you’ve had a proper interview. 

Do not pay any fees or share personal or financial details. Check the company independently by finding its official website yourself and contacting them using publicly listed contact details to confirm whether they are hiring. 

If you’re contacted about a job that feels suspicious, ignore it and do not engage further. 

Scammers can target people accessing large sums from their pension pots. 

Pension scams often follow similar patterns to investment scams, but can have particularly serious consequences for retirement savings. 

Some fraudsters will connect with you on a dating website using a fake profile. They’ll be up-front about living overseas and will email you, getting to know you over time and becoming affectionate and romantic.

When you’ve become involved, they’ll start asking for money for a sick relative or for a plane ticket to come and visit. They’ll take your money but never appear. Learn more about how to stop and avoid online dating scams.

Some scammers are now pretending to be Ofgem, offering to save you money or help you switch to another energy provider.

Find out about what to do if you’re worried about your energy bills.

They may do this by contacting you via text message, email or another way, asking for personal details such as your bank details. These are scams, as Ofgem would never contact you this way or ask for personal information.

Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud, often known as bank transfer scams, is when scammers trick you into sending them money by bank transfer. They usually do this by pretending to be a legitimate business, a trusted organisation, or even your bank — sometimes after intercepting or hacking email accounts. 

This type of scam often happens when you’re expecting to make a payment, such as when buying a house, booking a holiday or paying for building work. You may be sent new payment details and pressured to act quickly, which can make it harder to spot that something is wrong. 

Another common APP scam involves messages claiming to be from a friend or relative who urgently needs money. These messages can seem convincing, but the account or phone number has usually been taken over by a scammer. 

• If a call doesn’t feel right, hang up. You’re not being rude, you’re being safe. 
• Never give out your bank account details, PIN or card details unless you’re certain who you’re dealing with. 
• If you’re worried about your account security, contact your bank directly using the number on your card or by calling 159. 
• If you’ve already transferred money or shared details, contact your bank immediately. 

You’ll be contacted, usually by phone, by someone claiming to be from your bank’s fraud department, the police or a regulatory body such as the FCA. They’ll say your account has been compromised and pressure you to transfer all your money from your bank to a so-called ‘safe account’ that they control. 

 Scammers often create a sense of urgency and may sound convincing, but your bank, the police and regulators will never ask you to move money to a ‘safe’ account. 

• If a call doesn’t feel right, hang up. You’re not being rude, you’re being safe. 
• Never give out your bank account details, PIN or card details unless you’re certain who you’re dealing with. 
• If you’re worried about your account security, contact your bank directly using the number on your card or by calling 159. 
• If you’ve already transferred money or shared details, contact your bank immediately. 

If you’re searching for loans online, you might be contacted by fraudsters offering you a loan directly. Cold calls, texts or messages about loans are a major red flag, legitimate lenders rarely contact people out of the blue. 

You’ll be asked to pay an upfront fee to receive the loan, but the money will never be sent to you. Scammers often describe this fee as a 'deposit', 'insurance’ or ‘admin fee’ and may claim it’s ‘100% refundable’. 

They often create urgency, for example, saying the offer ends today, to pressure you into acting quickly without checking the details. 

• You’re asked to pay a fee in advance for a loan. 
• You’re contacted unexpectedly by phone, text or message about a loan offer. 
• You’re asked to pay fees in unusual ways, such as using iTunes vouchers, cryptocurrency or money transfer services. 
• The lender’s contact details don’t match those listed on the FCA Firm Checker — scammers often clone real firms and use fake phone numbers or email addresses. 

Never pay a fee upfront to get a loan.

Check you’re using a legitimate loan provider by searching the FCA Firm CheckerOpens in a new window and using the contact details listed there — not the ones given to you. 

If you’ve already paid a fee, don’t send any more money. Contact your bank immediately and report the scam to Report FraudOpens in a new window

This is similar to phishing, but instead of sending you an email directly, the scammers target the website you’re visiting.

You type in the correct website address, but you then get directed to a fake version, where you inadvertently put in your login details and secure information.

Pharming scams can be difficult to spot because the website may look genuine. 

Be alert for: 

• Subtle changes in the website address (URL), such as letters swapped or replaced (for example, using a capital ‘I’ instead of a lowercase ’i’). 
• Small design inconsistencies, like lower-quality images, unusual fonts, incorrect logos, or slightly different colours. 
• Browser security warnings, such as messages saying ‘Not secure’ or ‘Your connection is not private’. 

If something doesn’t look right, don’t enter any details and leave the site immediately. 

Always check the website address carefully before logging in. 

Keep your device, browser and antivirus software up to date to reduce the risk of being redirected to a fake site. 

If you think you’ve visited a scam website or entered your details, change your passwords straight away and contact your bank if financial information was involved. 

Visit the National Cyber Security Centre to find out what to do if you think you’ve visited a scam websiteOpens in a new window 

These scams are also commonly known as tech support scams. They involve criminals pretending to be from well-known technology companies such as Apple, Microsoft or Google. 

You may be contacted out of the blue by phone, email or pop-up message, with the scammer claiming there’s a problem with your computer, phone or device, such as a virus, security issue or suspicious activity. They’ll often say the problem needs fixing urgently. 

In some cases, they may ask you to install additional software, click a link, or share payment or bank details to repair, update or ‘secure’ your device. This is a scam. Legitimate tech companies will not contact you unexpectedly to fix problems in this way. 

If you receive an unexpected call, message or pop-up claiming there’s a problem with your device, do not follow the instructions or share any details. 

If you think your device may be compromised, disconnect it from the internet and close any suspicious messages or pop-ups. 

Report the scam to Report Fraud. If you need technical help, contact your device manufacturer or software provider directly using contact details you trust, not any provided in the message. 

These can take many forms, but instead of relying on the anonymity of online communications, they simply knock on your door.

While they can be investment and pension scammers, they can also try and scam you in a more practical way – like selling you a product or service.

A common example is a person claiming to be a builder who happened to notice some damage to your roof when they were passing. Fake charity collectors and salespeople are other examples.

A scammer might even claim to be from government agencies, including the Money and Pensions Service or MoneyHelper.

The Money and Pensions Service has never, and will never, turn up to your home or contact you out of the blue via phone, WhatsApp, email or text.

If there are people claiming to be us who call at your home, call 101 to report the scammersOpens in a new window, or call 999 if you feel unsafeOpens in a new window.

Always be suspicious of anyone arriving unannounced at your door. In the age of digital communications, it’s unlikely any legitimate company will attempt to do business this way.

It’s also important not to be fooled just because someone has identification. It’s very easy to make a fake ID and it’s no guarantee of legitimacy.

Don’t engage with anyone who knocks on your door unannounced. 

You can also display a ‘No cold callers’ sticker on your door. These are available from your local council or Trading Standards and can help deter doorstep scammers. 

And report anyone you suspect of trying to scam you or your neighbours to the police. 

This is when you buy tickets for a concert or sporting event, for example – but the person, or website, you’re buying from either doesn’t send the tickets, or sends you fakes.

This is most common on ticket reselling or exchange sites, which makes getting a refund very difficult.

To combat touts, many events issue tickets that can only be used by the person who bought them, so tickets on reselling sites won’t work.

Spotting this scam can be difficult as you might not realise you’ve been scammed until the day of the event. 

One way you might be able to spot it is by looking at the website you’re buying from. 

If it’s one you’ve never heard of, doesn’t have proper contact details, or only lists a mobile phone number or PO box – avoid it. 

Be wary of sellers who ask you to pay by bank transfer, as this offers less protection if something goes wrong. 

Check the website address carefully for subtle changes or misspellings that could indicate it’s fraudulent, and look for reviews from trusted sources before buying. 

Avoid buying tickets from social media or online auction sites where it might be difficult to trace the seller and get a refund.

Check the website you’re buying from is a memberOpens in a new window of the Society of Ticket Agents & Retailers (STAR).

When paying, make sure the website address starts ‘https’, not just ‘http’, as this means the site is secure.

Pay by credit card (if it's more than £100), debit card or PayPal, rather than bank transfer, as you have more protection if something goes wrong.

Advance-fee fraud is a common scam where fraudsters contact you by email, text message or social media, claiming you’re due a large payment, loan, inheritance or financial reward — but only if you pay a fee upfront. 

Messages often come out of the blue, or follow an attempt to build trust with you. Scammers may claim a wealthy individual is in trouble, that funds are being ‘released’, or that they can help you recover money lost in a previous scam. 

More recently, fraudsters may pose as lawyers, government officials or recovery specialists, claiming they can retrieve lost funds — for a fee. They may also ask for payment in unusual formats, such as cryptocurrency or gift cards. 

You may be asked to share bank details or pay fees for loans, services or financial gains that never materialise. The scammers then use the information or payment to steal your money. 

Similar schemes exist involving fake inheritances, wills and long-lost relatives.

If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. 

Be wary of unexpected messages promising large sums of money, especially where you’re asked to pay a fee upfront. Poor spelling, grammar, or email addresses that don’t match the sender’s name can also be warning signs. 

Legitimate organisations will never ask you to pay fees in advance to release money, recover funds, or secure a loan. 

Never send money, bank details or personal information in response to unexpected messages. 

You should never have to pay an upfront fee for a loan, job application or job process. Always check the company or organisation contacting you is legitimate by searching for it on Companies House and using the contact details listed there — not the ones provided in the message. 

Ignore the message and report it to Report FraudOpens in a new window if you think it’s a scam.

While not every MLM is a scam, if you join an MLM you’re still likely to lose more money than you put in.

Typically, an MLM will be a large organisation made up of hundreds of individuals selling merchandise and services. For example, beauty products, candles, cleaning products and books – from home or via ‘parties’.

MLMs have a similar structure to pyramid schemes. And in many MLMs, it’s much more lucrative to recruit others than it is to earn commission from sales.

Simply put, this is when someone has a deliberate crash so they can claim on the insurance. In reality, it’s a lot more complicated.

Groups, usually criminal gangs, will target people who they think will have good car insurance, or who are less likely to put up a fuss – for example, mothers with children.

The scammers’ car will be in front of you and suddenly slam on its brakes, or unexpectedly pull out of a junction – causing you to crash into them.

They will insist the crash was your fault, but be willing to hand over their insurance information.

A few weeks later your insurance company will tell you the details of the other driver’s claim. This will exaggerate the costs, such as for car hire or whiplash injuries.

If you see an email or an advert for a ‘miracle cure’ for baldness, cancer, impotence, acne or weight loss – steer clear.

You could be offered something that appears to be a legitimate alternative medicine but doesn’t actually work.

Or you might think you’re getting drugs and medicines very cheaply or without a prescription, but they might not be the real thing – if they even turn up at all.

In some cases, these fake medicines can actually damage your health.

You could unknowingly end up breaking the law and helping criminals if you use your bank account to take delivery of, and then forward, stolen money — often in return for a commission. 

Falling for this scam would mean you could be breaking the law by money laundering. You can also find out more about what money mules are, how scams work, and how people are targeted in our blog on money mule scams.

Con artists can pose as either fake buyers or fake sellers. If they buy from you, they appear to pay for the goods. But as soon as you’ve sent it to them, the payment is withdrawn.

Fake sellers get you to buy non-existent products and simply disappear with your money.

If you can, use tracked postage to send the item, and keep hold of your receipt. Don’t agree to let the buyer arrange for their own courier to come and pick up the item.