UK phone scam statistics
The scale of telephone and AI-assisted fraud in the UK: how much is lost, how many people are affected, and which scams are growing fastest.
Key figures
AI fraud: the fastest growing threat
AI tools have fundamentally changed the economics of fraud. Voice cloning services that previously cost thousands of pounds are now free or near-free and require only seconds of audio to produce a convincing replica. Industry reports record a +1,210% increase in AI-assisted scam activity in 2025.
Deepfake vishing attacks (where AI video or audio of a real person is used during a call) increased by 442% between the first and second halves of 2024 alone. A UK engineering firm (Arup) lost approximately £25 million in a single deepfake video call in 2024.
Most common phone scam types
| Scam type | Typical method | Average loss |
|---|---|---|
| Authorised bank transfer (APP) | Impersonation of bank or police, safe account request | £2,977 avg. (UK Finance) |
| Investment fraud | Cold call, fake high-return opportunities, crypto | £29,000+ avg. |
| Romance fraud | Relationship building over weeks or months | £6,000+ avg. |
| HMRC impersonation | Arrest threats, gift card or bank transfer demands | Variable |
| Pension scams | Free pension review offers, early access promises | Entire pension pot |
| Tech support scams | Fake virus alerts, remote access, payment for repairs | £500–£2,000 typical |
| Deepfake / CEO fraud | AI video call impersonating executive | £25m+ (single incident) |
Sources: UK Finance, Action Fraud, FCA, Pindrop, NCSC. Figures are approximate and vary year to year.
Who is most at risk?
People aged 65+
Disproportionately affected by bank transfer and investment scams. More likely to answer landline calls and hold significant savings.
People aged 25–45
Increasingly targeted by investment fraud and crypto scams, often beginning with a social media message followed by a phone call.
Business owners and finance staff
Targeted by CEO fraud, invoice redirection and HMRC impersonation scams. Deepfake video calls now used to impersonate senior executives.
Young people (13–18)
Home Office research found 14% of 13–18 year olds believe they have been defrauded online, often via social media and messaging app scams.
People following bereavement or life change
Pension and investment scammers actively target people who have recently received inheritance or pension lump sums.
Reporting rates
The Office for National Statistics estimates that fewer than one in five fraud incidents are reported to the police. Under-reporting is driven by shame, the belief that reporting will not help, and confusion about where to report. This means the true scale of fraud is several times larger than official figures suggest.
Even if you did not lose money, reporting attempted scams to Action Fraud and here on WhoIsCalling helps build the intelligence needed to disrupt scam operations and protect others.
PSR mandatory reimbursement: October 2024
From October 2024, the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) requires banks and payment providers to reimburse victims of authorised push payment (APP) fraud up to £85,000. Both the sending and receiving bank share responsibility for reimbursement. Decisions must be made within 5 business days. This represents a significant change from the previous voluntary Contingent Reimbursement Model (CRM) code.