“Fraud cases hit record high as criminals adapt and scale” reports Cifas

Almost three-quarters (72%, in fact) of all cases reported in 2025 were linked to identity fraud and facility takeover, underlining precisely how criminals are increasingly using stolen or compromised personal details as a gateway to realise wider financial harm.

The escalating numbers reflect how rapidly fraudulent activity is evolving. Criminals are adapting their tactics to exploit technological, economic and behavioural changes, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and generative technologies enabling convincing impersonations, fake documents and synthetic identities to be created at speed and scale.

At the same time, fraud is becoming increasingly more complex and international in scope, with organised crime groups operating across borders and targeting multiple sectors simultaneously.

Mike Haley, CEO of Cifas, commented: “Our data and intelligence highlight the ways in which fraud is being industrialised, with AI accelerating criminality that’s increasingly digital, organised and international. Fraud must be treated as a national enforcement priority. Closing the gap requires decisive action, robust disruption of criminal networks and greater sharing of cross‑sector data and intelligence to stop fraud at the source.”

Upward trajectory

Upwards of 78,000 facility (account) takeover cases were reported in 2025, accounting for 18% of all NFD filings and representing a 6% increase on 2024.

Cases linked to mobile phone products continue to dominate, followed by online retail and personal credit cards, together accounting for around 90% of all takeovers.

There has also been a notable rise in unauthorised SIM swaps (cases are up 38%), driven by the availability of stolen personal data and increasingly automated attack methods.

Criminals have continued to exploit AI to enhance malicious communications and automate credential attacks, adopting stealthier tactics – such as disabling alerts and gradually altering account details – to avoid detection.

Over 242,000 identity fraud cases were filed, accounting for 54% of all fraud-risk cases recorded to the NFD in 2025. While this represents a 3% decrease on 2024, identity fraud remains the single most common fraud type reported by Cifas members.

The decline in cases filed reflects a shift in tactics rather than a reduction in harm as criminals increasingly move towards account takeover, particularly targeting the telecoms sector for mobile phone products.

The largest identity fraud rises were seen in bank accounts (over 63,000 cases representing a 10% uplift) and insurance (rising 26% with more than 16,000 cases in total).

Misuse of facility surges

There were more than 106,000 misuse of facility cases recorded to the NFD in 2025. That’s a 43% increase compared to 2024 and marks one of the sharpest rises across all fraud types.

In addition, over 22,000 cases were recorded by Cifas members following the introduction of a new money mule filing category. These cases impact not only personal and business bank accounts, but also an expanding range of other financial facilities such as personal credit cards, pre-paid cards and money transfer accounts.

Money muling remains a persistent and evolving threat, particularly so across social media platforms with criminal recruitment tactics and lures including job scams, ‘business opportunities’ and even overpaying sellers for items via online marketplaces.

Stephen Dalton, director of intelligence at Cifas, stated: “Rising cases reflect both the scale of offending and improved reporting by organisations. Criminals are shifting to more subtle methods such as credential stuffing, SIM swaps and gradual profile changes in order to evade detection. We anticipate more use of AI to personalise attacks and build credible, long-term profiles, in turn reinforcing the need for cross-sector collaboration to spot patterns far earlier.”

View from the NCA

Nick Sharp, deputy director of fraud at the National Crime Agency (NCA), explained: “Fraud now makes up 45% of all crime in England and Wales and we are very aware of the devastating harm it causes to victims. This is why it’s recognised as a national security and serious organised crime risk in the UK.”

Sharp went on to state: “The NCA is continuing to strengthen its leadership and response to the threat of fraud, with convictions by UK law enforcement up 27% since 2022 and increasing examples of international engagement helping to boost our ability to tackle the problem when it emanates from overseas.”

In conclusion, Sharp said: “Fraudscape continues to be an invaluable source of information and intelligence that helps us to maximise our understanding of the threat and pinpoint where we can best direct our operational efforts.”

*Download copies of the Fraudscape 2026 report

*Fraudscape is Cifas’ dedicated annual report on fraud cases which combines data from its National Fraud Database and Insider Threat Database, alongside intelligence provided by Cifas members, partners and law enforcement agencies