How to report a scam

Find out how to tell authorities about a scam you've encountered

Whether you’ve seen something suspicious or been a victim of fraud, you should always report it. Letting the relevant authorities know about an incident, will help the police crackdown on the criminals and could prevent the same thing happening to others.

Report all fraud and cybercrime to the reporting centre: 

Doorstep crime: if in immediate danger then call 999 or if non-emergency call 101

Report to your bank

If you’ve lost money or you think a fraudster has access to your bank account, tell your bank or payment service provider as soon as possible, so they can protect your account and help you get your money back.

Always contact them directly using a known email or phone number, such as the ones shown on their website or the back of your card, or call 159.

Report to other relevant organisations

You should also contact any other relevant organisation to let them know what happened and ask for it to be investigated, for example:

  • an organisation whose name was falsely used in the fraud (such as an energy provider or Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA))
  • the platform where it occurred (such as Facebook or Google)