{"id":414,"date":"2022-10-27T18:37:44","date_gmt":"2022-10-27T18:37:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nifraudforum.co.uk\/?page_id=414"},"modified":"2026-03-12T22:28:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T22:28:01","slug":"news","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.nifraudforum.co.uk\/?page_id=414","title":{"rendered":"News"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Cifas Fraudscape 2026: New Insights into the UK's Evolving Fraud Threat<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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The publication of the Cifas Fraudscape 2026 report<\/strong> provides a timely and comprehensive snapshot of the fraud landscape across the United Kingdom, drawing on data reported to Cifas during the twelve months to December 2025. The report paints a stark picture of the continuing growth and sophistication of fraud, highlighting how criminals are exploiting digital technologies, social media platforms and global networks to target both individuals and organisations at unprecedented scale.<\/p>

Fraud is now firmly established as the most prevalent crime type in the UK<\/strong>, and its impact continues to deepen across society. According to the UK Government\u2019s Fraud Strategy 2026\u20132029<\/strong>, fraud accounts for around 45% of all crime in England and Wales<\/strong>, with over 4 million offences recorded in the year to September 2025<\/strong> and an estimated economic cost of at least \u00a314.4 billion annually<\/strong>.<\/p>

Key Trends Identified in Fraudscape 2026<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>

The Fraudscape report highlights several dominant fraud threats that are shaping the current landscape:<\/p>

Identity fraud and impersonation attacks<\/strong> remain among the most common forms of fraud. Criminals are increasingly using stolen personal data obtained from previous breaches, phishing campaigns and social media profiling to impersonate individuals when opening bank accounts, applying for credit or accessing financial services.<\/p>

Authorised push payment (APP) fraud<\/strong> continues to be one of the most financially damaging scams. Victims are manipulated into transferring money directly to criminals, often through sophisticated social engineering techniques. These scams frequently involve impersonation of banks, police officers, solicitors or trusted businesses.<\/p>

Investment and cryptocurrency fraud<\/strong> is another fast-growing threat. Fraudsters are using convincing online advertising and cloned websites to lure victims into fake investment schemes, often promising unusually high returns. Cryptocurrency-related scams in particular have increased significantly as criminals exploit limited public understanding of digital assets.<\/p>

Purchase fraud<\/strong> remains widespread, particularly through online marketplaces and social media platforms. Fraudsters advertise goods that do not exist or that will never be delivered, exploiting the growth of online shopping.<\/p>

Account takeover fraud<\/strong> is also rising, with criminals using phishing, malware and credential-harvesting tools to gain access to victims\u2019 online accounts, enabling them to steal funds or commit further fraud.<\/p>

Increasingly, these fraud types are technology-enabled and globally coordinated<\/strong>, making detection and prevention more challenging for law enforcement and financial institutions.<\/p>

Technology and Organised Crime<\/span><\/h1>

Both Fraudscape and the Government\u2019s new Fraud Strategy highlight the growing role of organised crime groups<\/strong> operating across international borders. These groups are adopting new technologies such as artificial intelligence, deepfakes and voice cloning to enhance their scams.<\/p>

Phishing and social engineering remain the most common entry points for fraud. Criminals are also increasingly exploiting digital infrastructure including social media platforms, online advertising networks and messaging services to reach victims quickly and at scale.<\/p>

The Government\u2019s strategy notes that many fraud operations are now industrialised<\/strong>, with organised scam centres operating overseas and targeting UK victims via spoofed phone calls, fraudulent websites and social media messaging campaigns.<\/p>

The UK\u2019s Response: A New Fraud Strategy<\/span><\/h1>

Alongside the release of Fraudscape 2026, the UK Government has published a new Fraud Strategy for 2026\u20132029<\/strong>, setting out a national response structured around three pillars:<\/p>