Purchase scams are the UK's fastest-growing con, with checks rising by 164% over the past 12 months, according to new data from a free scam-checking service. These scams typically involve paying upfront for goods or services that either don't exist or never arrive.
Other fraud types on the rise
The service also reported increases in other fraud categories. Checks for impersonation scams rose by 31%, while fake security alerts—pop-ups, emails or texts designed to convince people their device is infected—increased by 62% in the past six months. Fake messages claiming to be from delivery companies were up 29%, checks linked to bogus online casinos rose by 59%, and marketplace scams on sites such as Facebook Marketplace and Etsy increased by 76%.
Public concern over scams
The findings follow a poll of 2,000 UK adults commissioned by The Co-operative Bank, which found two-thirds are worried about being scammed. Nearly two-thirds (63%) said scams are getting more sophisticated as criminals use more technology. More than half believe scams are becoming more common (57%) and harder to spot (55%). Meanwhile, 84% said they are concerned artificial intelligence is making scams look more convincing.
To help customers check suspicious activity, The Co-operative Bank has partnered with scam-checking service Ask Silver to launch its own scam-checker, where users can upload a text message, image or website and receive guidance on whether it could be a scam.
Vishal Majithia, head of economic crime at the bank, said: "The scams we're seeing today often hide behind perfectly ordinary moments, from shopping online and tracking a parcel to receiving a message that appears to be from an organisation you trust. Fraudsters follow where people spend their time and money and quickly adapt their tactics to popular platforms, services and new technology. That means anyone can be targeted, so knowing what to look out for and taking a moment to check something before you act can make all the difference."
Top 10 scam trends
According to the Ask Silver data, which has also revealed the top 10 trending scams in the past 12 months, there has been a surge in fraudsters impersonating both everyday organisations and government agencies—up 59% and 53%, respectively. There were over four million recorded online scams in 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics, with over three million adults experiencing a loss as a result. Those who have ever been scammed have lost an average of £2,850, with 60% stating that most digital scams they have encountered were disguised as everyday admin.
While elderly people are often believed to be the most susceptible to digital scams, ONS data shows those aged 25 to 44 were the most likely to fall victim—particularly to phishing scams, which involve messages from fraudsters posing as legitimate organisations to extract personal information or money.
Alex Somervell, CEO and co-founder of Ask Silver, said: "In this digital age where scams are increasingly sophisticated, and fraudsters are highly experienced, we have to empower individuals with tools that keep them safe and allow them to communicate, shop and live with peace of mind. This is a deeply personal mission for me as my dad lost almost his entire life savings to scammers, and it had a devastating impact on our family, and trying to help prevent that experience for others inspires us at Ask Silver. As AI-enhanced scams accelerate the potential impact of fraud, we are using our AI-powered scam checker to fight back. Supporting customers at the point where individuals are parting with their hard-earned cash is where we can make a real difference, and we're delighted to be partnering with The Co-operative Bank in this way because with every scam we stop, it's another person we can keep safe."
The top 10 scam trends of the last 12 months are: general purchase scams (31%), which are purchase scams that aren't marketplace scams—mainly eCommerce websites; general impersonation scams (10%), impersonation of everyday organisations such as Tesco or British Gas; tech scams (9%), mostly antivirus scams like Norton or McAfee; delivery scams (6%), fake comms from delivery services such as DPD, Evri or DHL; government impersonation scams (4%), e.g. HMRC, DWP, Police; casino scams (4%), fake online casinos; crypto scams (3%); marketplace scams (3%), on online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace and Etsy; task scams (3%), fake paid-by-the-hour tasks, usually online; and windfall scams (3%), scams that promise large, unexpected sums of money such as lottery wins, investment returns or fake inheritances.
