Cybercrime and fraud have overtaken all other offences to become the most common forms of crime in the UK, according to new figures highlighted by the City of London Police. In a stark reflection of the country’s accelerating digital shift, online scams, identity theft, and sophisticated financial fraud now outstrip conventional crimes such as burglary and assault. As the national lead force for fraud, the City of London Police is warning that criminals are exploiting technology at unprecedented scale, targeting individuals, businesses, and public institutions alike. Their latest assessment, reported by Crowdfund Insider, underscores not only the sheer volume of cyber-enabled offences, but also the growing challenge facing law enforcement, regulators, and consumers in trying to stay one step ahead of increasingly agile and globalised fraud networks.
Rising tide of cyber crime and fraud in the UK what the latest figures from City of London Police reveal
The latest data compiled by City of London Police’s National Fraud Intelligence Bureau paints a stark picture: digital offenders now outnumber street criminals. Over the past year, reports of online fraud and cyber-enabled crime have surged, driven by a blend of sophisticated phishing operations, fake investment platforms and opportunistic scams targeting the cost-of-living crisis. Investigators highlight that these offences rarely involve dramatic heists; rather, they unfold quietly via emails, messaging apps and cloned websites, frequently enough leaving victims unaware until bank balances are drained or identities stolen. This shift underscores a broader transformation in criminal behavior, with offenders exploiting the UK’s deep reliance on online banking, e‑commerce and remote working.
Behind the headline figures are clear patterns.City of London Police note that offenders increasingly operate across borders,leveraging cryptoassets and anonymising tools to launder proceeds at speed,while automation allows them to attack thousands of potential victims simultaneously. Key trends identified by specialist units include:
- Investment scams promoted via social media and messaging apps, often linked to fake crypto projects.
- Authorised push payment fraud, where victims are tricked into sending money to criminals posing as banks, solicitors or HMRC.
- Account takeover attacks using stolen credentials harvested from data breaches and malware.
- Business email compromise targeting SMEs, altering invoice details and diverting payments.
| Category | Trend vs last year | Typical Target |
|---|---|---|
| Online shopping fraud | +18% | General consumers |
| Investment & crypto scams | +27% | Retail investors |
| Business email compromise | +12% | SMEs & suppliers |
| Identity theft | +15% | Individuals & freelancers |
How online scammers target victims from investment fraud to phishing and social engineering tactics
Behind every screen, fraudsters are running sophisticated operations that mirror legitimate financial services. They build slick websites, clone regulated firms, and run aggressive social media campaigns to promote fake investment schemes promising “guaranteed” high returns. These scams frequently enough exploit real-world events-from cryptocurrency hype to rising living costs-luring victims with the promise of quick financial relief or exclusive opportunities. Once contact is made, criminals escalate with social engineering, using phone calls, fake “advisers,” and doctored documents to appear credible.The result is a seamless illusion that can fool even financially literate investors.
- Investment fraud: cloned trading platforms,bogus bonds,fake ISA products.
- Phishing emails and texts: urgent security alerts, bank notices, fake delivery updates.
- Impersonation scams: criminals posing as police, banks, HMRC or FCA officers.
- Social media cons: romance-investment crossovers, influencer-style “tip” accounts.
| Scam Type | Typical Hook | Main Tactic |
|---|---|---|
| Investment Fraud | “High returns, low risk” | Fake advisers & cloned sites |
| Phishing | “Account blocked – act now” | Malicious links & data theft |
| Social Engineering | “We’re from your bank/police” | Pressure, fear & urgency |
Why current policing and regulation lag behind digital offenders and what must change to catch up
While cyber crime and fraud surge ahead in volume and sophistication, the systems meant to stop them still move at an analogue pace. Investigations are frequently enough constrained by local jurisdictional boundaries even though the offenders operate seamlessly across continents using anonymising tools, disposable infrastructure and cryptocurrencies. Many frontline officers lack specialised training in digital forensics,and legacy case-management platforms are rarely designed to ingest,correlate and analyze the vast quantities of data generated by online fraud. The result is a widening enforcement gap, where high-volume, low-value scams are effectively industrialised, but detection and prosecution remain artisanal.
Closing that gap requires a structural reset rather than incremental tinkering. Law enforcement needs to embed data scientists, threat analysts and cyber specialists alongside traditional investigators, and work within a framework that treats fraud and cyber crime as a national security issue, not a peripheral white-collar concern. Key shifts include:
- Real-time data sharing between banks, fintechs, telecoms and police, governed by clear privacy safeguards.
- Automated intelligence tools to flag suspected mule accounts, bot farms and phishing infrastructure.
- Standardised digital evidence protocols so cases move quickly from complaint to charge.
- Cross-border task forces focused on persistent threat actors, not just individual incidents.
| Current Reality | Required Shift |
|---|---|
| Reactive case-by-case responses | Proactive, intelligence-led disruption |
| Patchy digital skills | Specialised cyber units at scale |
| Fragmented reporting channels | Unified national reporting and triage |
| Slow inter-agency cooperation | Legally enabled, API-based data sharing |
Practical steps for individuals businesses and platforms to reduce cyber crime risk and report incidents effectively
From single investors checking their portfolios on a smartphone to platforms processing thousands of payments a minute, cutting exposure to online crime starts with getting the basics right and knowing how to escalate when something goes wrong. Individuals should harden their personal digital footprint by using password managers, enabling multi-factor authentication, and updating software on all devices as soon as patches appear.Simple habits also matter: verify payee details via a known phone number before large transfers, treat unsolicited “urgent” messages as suspicious by default, and keep a separate device or browser profile for banking and investment activity.For small and mid-sized firms, that discipline scales into formal policy: enforce least-privilege access, run regular phishing simulations, back up critical data offline, and embed security checks into routine onboarding and vendor selection.
Platforms and marketplaces operating in the UK’s financial ecosystem face a higher duty of care and should integrate security by design into their products while making incident reporting as frictionless as possible for users. This includes prominent in-app “Report” buttons,clear confirmation of what will happen next,and direct signposting to Action Fraud,local police cyber units,and the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC). Effective responses rely on fast, coordinated reporting chains:
- Individuals: Capture screenshots, preserve emails/SMS, contact your bank instantly, then report to Action Fraud.
- Businesses: Trigger internal incident playbooks, notify affected customers early, and liaise with law enforcement and regulators.
- Platforms: Share anonymised threat intelligence with peers and authorities to disrupt active campaigns.
| Who | Key Action | Where to Report in the UK |
|---|---|---|
| Investor / Consumer | Freeze accounts, log evidence | Bank, Action Fraud, local police |
| SME / Startup | Activate incident plan, secure systems | Action Fraud, NCSC, insurance provider |
| Fintech Platform | Isolate affected services, notify users | Law enforcement, FCA (if regulated), NCSC |
The Way Forward
As the City of London Police’s latest findings underline, cyber crime and fraud are no longer emerging threats but the defining challenge of modern law enforcement. With every aspect of life becoming more interconnected, the UK’s crime landscape is increasingly shaped by keyboards rather than crowbars.
For policymakers, regulators, and the financial services sector, the message is clear: resources, training, and technology must shift accordingly. For consumers and businesses, the duty is just as real-basic cyber hygiene and heightened vigilance are now as essential as locking the front door.
Whether the UK can stem this wave will depend on how quickly institutions, industry, and individuals adapt. What is certain is that the fight against crime is now as much about servers and smartphones as it is about streets and stations-and it is a fight that has only just begun.
