How to report a scam

Report scams to warn others

Reporting fraud is important to help stop criminals, and to prevent others from falling victim to the same scam.

Report fraud to your bank or payment provider

If you’ve lost money to a scam and you paid with a credit or debit card, or sent money through an account transaction, tell your bank or payment provider as soon as possible.

Reports of fraud should be investigated quickly and all efforts should be made to recover the money if possible.

Report the scam to Action Fraud and the police

Action Fraud is the fraud and cybercrime reporting centre for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It gathers intelligence on scams and passes it onto the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau for analysis by the police.

You can report any attempt to steal your money or personal information to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or report it online. If you live in Scotland you can report a scam directly to the police by calling 101.

If your money has been stolen as the result of a scam, you can also report it to the police by calling 101.

You can also report an attempted scam, even if the fraudsters were unsuccessful.

Not every report results in a police investigation, but any information you give will help build a clearer picture of how scams work, and who is behind them.

How to report a scam

How to report an email scam?

If you’ve spotted a scam email or phishing email, you can report it to the internet service provider (ISP) that was used to send you the email. There will usually be a ‘report’ button or link in your inbox.

Gmail has a 'Report spam' button and Hotmail has a 'Report phishing' button. If the scam email came from a Yahoo! account, send it to abuse@yahoo.com.

The ISP can then close the account that sent the email.

Report it to the company

If you've received a fake email that pretends to have been sent by a genuine company, it’s worth alerting the company the scammers have tried to mimic.

This could be a bank, government department, utility provider, a shop or a subscription service.

The company can then warn its customers about the scam and take steps to prevent scammers from targeting them in the future.

How to report a scam advert?

If you've seen a dodgy advert, or feel you’ve been misled by one, you can report it to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

You can report any kind of mass advertising including ads that appear on television, radio, billboards, websites and social media.

The ASA will investigate and can get scam ads removed. It can also fine companies or individuals that breach its guidelines.

How to report junk and scam mail?

Junk mail you think might be from fraudsters can be sent to Royal Mail with a covering letter to: Freepost Scam Mail, PO Box 797, Exeter EX1 9UN.

You can also email scam.mail@royalmail.com or call 0345 611 3413.

Stop scam mail

The Mailing Preference Service (MPS) will remove your name and address from mailing lists. Register for free by calling 0845 703 4599 or visit mpsonline.org.uk.

If you report a scam to your local Citizens Advice, it may be able to offer you practical advice.

Citizens Advice has a strong relationship with Trading Standards. When you report a business you have concerns about, it will pass on information for officers to look into.

Trading Standards officers investigate companies that may be involved in illegal activities. They have powers to take criminal action against fraudulent firms.

Seen or been affected by a scam? Help us protect others

Sharing details of the scam helps us to protect others as well as inform our scams content, research & policy work.

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Emotional support after a scam

Being scammed can take a huge toll on your mental health.

You might find it helpful to talk to someone about what you’re going through. It’s not your fault, and there are plenty of non-judgemental advice lines you can call who will understand.