Millions stung by scams with online shopping the top trap, says Citizens Advice
Charity’s latest research shows more than seven million UK adults have been hit by a scam in the past year
1 in 5 (20%) of those were significantly impacted by the financial loss they suffered
Citizens Advice is arming consumers with knowledge on how to be scam savvy in its latest campaign
More than seven million people are estimated to have been deceived by a scam in the past 12 months, Citizens Advice has revealed.
While another seven million adults said they know at least one other person who has been deceived by a scam.
The charity’s research shows more than a quarter (26%) of those personally deceived were duped while online shopping - with these types of scams including the likes of fake websites and counterfeit or non-existent goods.
The analysis shows the effects of being tricked by scammers are wide-ranging - including serious financial struggles. One in five (20%) of those caught out by a scam said they were significantly impacted by the financial loss they suffered.
Around one in eight (12%) said they fell into debt or had to borrow money, while one in 10 (10%) said they had to use emergency savings. Some (20%) were unable to carry out their work or caring responsibilities as a result of being scammed.
Almost a quarter (22%) transferred money after being pressured or convinced to, and with many devious scammers hiding behind messaging apps, 42% were contacted through social media.
Among those who Citizens Advice has supported with online shopping scams in the past year include consumers who have forked out hundreds of pounds for items like clothes, mobile phones and furniture - only to receive products that are counterfeit, not as advertised, unsafe - or nothing at all.
Faced with the stress of trying to get their money back, many people reported that the company they bought from either took more money from their bank account, didn’t respond, or disappeared online altogether.
As part of its annual Scams Awareness Campaign, Citizens Advice is revealing the top five scams people have unwittingly fallen for in the past year.
Online shopping scam (26%) - Includes fake websites and counterfeit or non-existent goods
Investment scam (18%) - Like ‘get rich quick’ schemes and cryptocurrency scams
Other financial scam (18%) - Such as banking, fake loans, card and bank account fraud
A friend or family member ‘needs help’ scam (16%) - Tricked into thinking someone you love needs money urgently
Mobile network scam (14%) - Includes being scammed into taking out a new contract or paying for a new handset
With online shopping scams stealing the top spot, the charity is urging consumers to be cautious when taking advantage of shopping deals ahead of Black Friday and Christmas.
Criminals can lure people into taking a number of actions in a bid to steal their money. Financial information, like card or bank account details, was handed over by 17% - and around one in eight (13%) admitted to divulging confidential security details like passwords, pins or codes.
More than a third (35%) said they fear being scammed again.
Mary’s story: “They caught me at the most vulnerable I’d been for a long time”
Mary*, 84 and from north-east England, was persuaded to pay around £40,000 in cash to scammers claiming to be from her bank’s fraud department. She used her life savings, pension money and was pressured into borrowing from a friend. Part of the cash came from Mary being duped into taking out a five year, monthly-repayable loan for £30,000. The ordeal has left her traumatised and she’s since received treatment for depression from her GP.
Mary explained: “The scammers said my identity had been stolen by internal bank staff and the issue had to be dealt with in absolute secrecy. It was pressure right from the beginning. They don’t give you time to think.
“Straight away I had to go to the bank, even though the nearest branch is 30 miles away. I had to send the cash in packets of thousands of pounds to four different addresses, they gave me explicit details on how to pack it up.
“They caught me at the most vulnerable I’d been for a long time. I thought I was doing my bank a favour by trying to unearth a mole in their staff. There was always this promise I would get the money back, but the phone calls started easing off and of course the money never came.”
Police told Mary it was unlikely she’d recover any money sent to the scammers, but was reimbursed £7,000 by her bank. Citizens Advice gave Mary debt advice and urged her to speak to her bank about compensation. She was offered £400 for poor service in dealing with her case. She used the rest of her savings and cashed in an ISA to pay back £22,000 of the loan, while friends offered to settle the remainder of the debt.
Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice said:
“With living costs piling up, lots of us are looking at ways to shop savvy or boost savings. But opportunistic scammers are preying on hard times to trick people into handing over their cash, and their tactics are getting harder to spot.
“Anyone can be scammed and the impact can be devastating - leaving people not only out of pocket, but in some cases unable to go about their daily lives.
“It’s important to be alert - if you’re not sure about something, get advice. If you think someone might be trying to scam you, act straight away.”
Kate Dearden MP, Minister for Workers Rights and Consumer Protections, said:
“This campaign is focused on helping consumers across the country protect themselves from scammers and keep hold of their hard-earned cash.
“Too many of us know the devastating consequences of scams. As part of our Plan for Change, we have taken decisive action to improve transparency, including cracking down on subscription traps, and banning fake reviews and hidden fees once and for all.”
Lord Michael Bichard, Chair of National Trading Standards, said:
“The vast number of people having money stolen through scams shows the scale of the problem we face, and highlights the cleverness of criminals who are constantly updating their tactics. Scams can affect anyone and can destroy lives, stripping people of their hard-earned money and causing huge psychological and emotional distress.
“We urge anyone who has been targeted by a scam to report it, however large or small the financial loss. By coming forward, people can receive the support they need and their information will be vital in helping to stop these criminals in their tracks.”
John Herriman, Chief Executive at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), said:
“We are aware of criminals impersonating CTSI as part of a financial scam - similar to those highlighted among the top five scams in this year’s Scams Awareness Campaign. It is not only individuals who are being targeted, as organisations and businesses are also at risk from sophisticated impersonation and phishing scams.
“Too often, people feel guilt, embarrassment, or even shame, which stops them from reporting what has happened. But the reality is that anyone can be caught out by a scam, and the true scale will never be known until more people come forward. Every report helps enforcement teams identify patterns and protect others. If you receive any message or letter claiming to be from CTSI that does not seem right, do not respond. Contact Action Fraud or your local Trading Standards service, via the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline for advice.”
Jane Parsons, Consumer Expert at Citizens Advice, said something might be a scam if:
Someone you don’t know contacts you unexpectedly, or you’re asked to transfer money quickly
You’re being asked to share personal or security information like passwords, pins or codes
You suspect you’re not dealing with a real company – for example there’s no postal address
You’ve been asked to pay in an unusual way - paying by debit or credit card gives you extra protection if things go wrong
The golden rule is if something seems too good to be true or doesn’t feel right it might be a scam, so take a moment and get advice
Citizens Advice has more advice online about how to check if something might be a scam. If you need support, you can call the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133 or chat to an advisor online.
You can also check what to do if you’ve been scammed, and should report scams or suspected scams to Action Fraud.
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For more information contact: press.office@citizensadvice.org.uk
Tel: 03000 231 080
Out-of-hours contact number: 0845 099 0107
We give people the knowledge and confidence they need to find their way forward - whoever they are, and whatever their problem.
Notes to editors:
Our Scams Awareness Campaign aims to: give people skills to identify scams; encourage people to share their experiences with scams; help people gain the confidence to report scams. The campaign is led by Citizens Advice in collaboration with the Consumer Protection Partnership (CPP).
Citizens Advice commissioned Savanta to conduct this research, surveying 2,222 UK adults aged 18+ through its weekly Consumer Omnibus. Fieldwork took place from 5th-7th September 2025.
Data is weighted by gender, age, and region to ensure all results are nationally representative.
The survey found 13% (278) of respondents had been personally deceived by a scam, and another 13% (298) know at least one other person who has been deceived by a scam in the past 12 months.
When extrapolated, 13% of the UK adult population is estimated to equal more than 7 million people (7,045,538) in the UK aged 18+. This is based on the most recent ONS population estimates data (Total UK adult population - 54,196,443).
All other figures in the press release relate only to those who said they have been personally caught out by a scam (13% of survey respondents - 278).
When it comes to those who were personally caught out by a scam in the past 12 months (13% of survey respondents) the top five most common scams were: Online shopping scam (26%), investment scam (18%), other financial scam (18%), a friend or family member ‘needs help’ scam (16%) and mobile network scam (14%).
Citizens Advice is made up of the national charity Citizens Advice; the network of independent local Citizens Advice charities across England and Wales; the Citizens Advice consumer service; and the Witness Service.
Our network of charities offers impartial advice online, over the phone, and in person, for free.
Citizens Advice helped 2.68 million people face to face, over the phone, by email and webchat in 2023-24. And we had 51.7 million visits to our website. For full service statistics see our monthly publication Advice trends.
Citizens Advice service staff are supported by more than 19,000 trained volunteers, working at over 1,900 service outlets across England and Wales.
Citizens Advice is the statutory consumer advocate for energy and postal markets. We provide supplier performance information to consumers and policy analysis to decision makers.
You can get consumer advice from the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133 or 0808 223 1144 for Welsh language speakers.