5 reasons why you should report a scam and how to do it

New figures shared by Action Fraud have revealed an increase in the number of scams being reported.

The Suspicious Email Reporting Service, which is when you forward scam emails to report@phishing.gov.uk, reached its highest level of reporting in May since its launch in 2020.

Reports have led to the removal of 329,000 scam websites by the National Cyber Security Centre.

The reporting of scam text messages to 7726, the free service offered by mobile network providers, has also increased and led to more than 60,000 malicious websites being removed in March 2024.

Below, we outline why scams should be reported and how to report different types of scam.

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1. Make it harder for scammers to create new scams

Many scams are the work of criminal organisations that operate various networks of scams. 

By reporting a scam, it helps investigators to find links to other scams run by the same people, identify the culprits and prevent them from creating more scams.

2. Stop others from falling victim

Perhaps you didn’t fall for a particular scam, but by reporting it you can help prevent others from falling into the scammers’ trap.

3. Help raise awareness about new scams

When scams are investigated, it helps to spread public knowledge about how the scam works and what to look out for in the form of warnings given to the public. 

As many scams operate in similar ways, these warnings can help prevent you and others from becoming victims of other scams.

4. Help make products, services and online platforms more trustworthy

It's becoming harder to identify what to trust, making it difficult to buy products online and participate in online spaces with confidence that you’re speaking to a real person or buying a genuine product. 

Reporting leads to scams being taken down and new ways of identity verification being implemented.

5. Help inspire new laws

The reporting of scams highlights the scale of the problem, which helps to create better legislation to combat the issue.

Last year, we celebrated the new Online Safety Act becoming law after years of campaigning for it alongside other organisations. This groundbreaking law will require platforms to prevent and quickly remove harmful online content, including scams.

Where to report scams

When you report a scam, some organisations will investigate it and others gather data.

• All scams: if you’ve lost money, you should report the scam to your bank. You should also report scams to Action Fraud or call the police on 101 if you’re in Scotland.
• Emails: forward scam emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
• Texts and calls: forward scam texts and calls received on your mobile to 7726.
• Websites: report them to the National Cyber Security Centre.
• Doorstep scams and companies: report dodgy salespeople and companies to Citizens Advice (CA) which can pass complaints to your local Trading Standards authority.
• Social media scams: social media platforms have in-app and website reporting features. This typically involves selecting the three dots in the top-right corner of the profile, advert or post you wish to report, before selecting ‘report'. While this may not result in immediate action, it's important to report harmful content if you come across it. 
• Post: report scam letters to Royal Mail at: Freepost Royal Mail Customer Services or using its online form.