Where to Report a Scam in the UK: Report Fraud, the NCSC, 7726 and the ASA

Reporting a scam is not a single step. Different routes exist for different kinds of scam, and the main national reporting service changed name at the end of 2025. This guide sets out which body handles which type of report, using GOV.UK and National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) guidance. Where the route differs by nation, that is stated: the police reporting service covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Scotland has its own route.

Report Fraud has replaced Action Fraud

According to a GOV.UK notice dated 4 December 2025, City of London Police launched Report Fraud from that date as the national platform for reporting cyber crime and fraud, replacing Action Fraud. The service includes a contact centre and online reporting tool, a national crime analysis service that all police forces can access and a victim service. Reports can be made at reportfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040, and the phone number is unchanged. The notice said traffic to the old Action Fraud website would redirect over the following months. Older guidance that still mentions Action Fraud is therefore referring to the same reporting route under its former name.

Which route for which scam

Lost money or been hacked

The NCSC says a victim of fraud or cyber crime in England, Wales or Northern Ireland should report to Report Fraud, and someone in Scotland should call Police Scotland on 101. The NCSC also stresses that a crime should not be reported to it through its own scam-reporting services.

Suspicious emails

The NCSC asks people to forward suspicious emails to [email protected], in as large a number as they like, even if they are not certain they are scams. It advises not clicking any link in a suspicious email and says there is no need to forward messages already in the spam or junk folder. The NCSC says it has the power to investigate and remove scam email addresses and websites, and that it cannot tell the sender the outcome but does act on every message.

Suspicious text messages

Most phone providers are part of a scheme that lets customers report suspicious texts free by forwarding them to 7726, after which the provider can investigate the origin and arrange to block or ban a malicious sender. If 7726 does not work, the NCSC suggests contacting the phone provider, and a screenshot or screen recording can be sent to the NCSC as an alternative.

Suspicious websites

The NCSC accepts reports of suspicious websites and says people can send as many URLs as they like, including ones that only feel suspicious. It advises not clicking links on the site and not entering personal information.

Scam adverts

The NCSC says an advert in a paid-for space, such as on newspaper websites, search engines and social media, can be reported to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). It notes such adverts may use false celebrity endorsements or discounted goods to attract victims. If the advert leads to a suspicious website, that site can be reported to the NCSC as well.

Other regulators for specific scams

Some scams have a specialist route. The Financial Conduct Authority says a person who has lost money to an insurance or warranty scam should contact Report Fraud and then report the matter to the FCA, and that a ghost broker case can also go to the Insurance Fraud Bureau’s Cheatline. The Student Loans Company asks students to send suspicious messages about student finance to [email protected]. HM Land Registry, for its part, says a suspected property fraud victim in England and Wales should contact its property fraud team, and can also report to Report Fraud.

Before or alongside reporting

Citizens Advice, in guidance that applies to England, says a scam victim should protect themselves from further risk, check whether any money can be recovered and report the scam. Its steps include telling the bank at once if account details or a PIN may have been stolen, changing any password that may have been exposed, keeping a record of any further contact from the scammer and watching statements for unusual transactions. Citizens Advice also says a caller who is trying to trick someone into handing over money or details can be ended by hanging up and calling 159, a service that connects the caller directly to their bank, though the number only works with banks that use it.

Why the small reports matter

The NCSC gives its scale as of July 2026: more than 58 million reported scams, which had resulted in 256,000 scams being removed across 454,800 URLs. Its text-message service alone accounted for 40,900 scams removed across 93,300 URLs. Those are NCSC’s own figures and describe takedowns, not prosecutions. They show that a report costs a minute and can lead to a scam site or number being shut down.

Frequently asked questions

Has the Action Fraud phone number changed?

No. GOV.UK says the number is unchanged at 0300 123 2040 for Report Fraud.

Should a scam text be reported to Report Fraud or 7726?

The two do different jobs. Forwarding to 7726 helps phone providers block the sender. Report Fraud is for people who have lost money or been hacked.

What if the scam happened in Scotland?

The NCSC says to report a crime to Police Scotland on 101.

The bottom line

The right report depends on the channel. Emails and websites go to the NCSC, texts to 7726, paid adverts to the ASA, and fraud that has cost money or led to hacking to Report Fraud in England, Wales and Northern Ireland or Police Scotland in Scotland. Specialist bodies such as the FCA and HM Land Registry add their own routes. Anyone who has lost money should tell their bank first.