UK fraud losses soar as scammers hijack email and social media accounts

Data from the Report Fraud service, run by the City of London police, indicates that theft linked to hacked email and social media accounts rose to £6.3 million in the 2025-26 financial year, a rise of more than 400% from the previous year’s £1.2 million. Scammers typically exploit the hijacked profiles to market fake tickets for sold-out concerts or to impersonate children and relatives in “Hi mum” style emergency-cash requests.

Many victims choose not to report the incidents, often because they feel ashamed or because the sums involved are modest. Ch Supt Amanda Wolf emphasized that the impact extends beyond the initial victim, as fraudsters leverage trusted relationships to defraud additional contacts. The police are launching a campaign urging users to adopt passkeys, which rely on device-based biometrics and are far harder to compromise than traditional passwords. The move aims to curb the growing trend of identity-based fraud across the UK.