APP fraud jumps as UK losses hit £1.28bn in 2025

Criminals stole £1.28 billion through fraud across the UK in 2025, up 4% from 2024. Authorised push payment (APP) fraud rose 19% to £576.4 million in 248,070 recorded cases.

Unauthorised fraud losses fell 5% to £703.4 million, while the number of reported incidents rose 11% to 3.81 million. Remote purchase fraud accounted for £423.5 million of unauthorised losses. Contactless fraud increased 8% to £46.8 million, and remote banking fraud declined 27% to £104.4 million.

APP losses included £500.8 million from individuals and £75.6 million from businesses. Reported APP incidents were 7% higher year-on-year. Investment scams accounted for £221.5 million of APP losses, a 40% increase, with investment-scam reports up 26% to 14,893. Romance scam losses rose 23% to £39.2 million. Impersonation fraud losses fell 12% and reported cases dropped 11%.

About two thirds of APP cases began online, and those cases made up 32% of APP losses. Seventeen percent started through telecommunications channels; these tended to involve larger transfers and represented 28% of APP losses. Banks reimbursed £354.3 million to APP victims, covering roughly 61% of reported APP losses.

Innovate Finance described organised fraud as a national security threat and called on technology and telecommunications firms to increase prevention work and contribute financially to mitigation.

Ruth Ray, managing director for economic crime at UK Finance, warned: “The financial sector invests huge amounts in protecting customers, but we cannot be the only line of defence. Almost £1.3 billion was stolen again last year and it is clear we are not tackling the underlying problem effectively enough.”