We have received numerous reports from victims who have been contacted by scammers who are cold calling and emailing people claiming to be from Action Fraud and the National Fraud Authority (NFA). The NFA was shut down in 2013.
Our contact centre has received multiple reports from victims who have been contacted by fraudsters using the real names of Action Fraud advisors.
It appears the fraudsters are calling victims and claiming they can recover money lost in a previous fraud. This type of scam is called fraud recovery fraud.
The genuine Action Fraud is the UK’s national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre where consumers can report if they have been scammed or defrauded. We are not responsible for investigating crime or obtaining refunds for victims.
If you receive a call that is suspicious and you want to verify the identity of a caller claiming to be from Action Fraud you can call 0300 123 2040 or email contact@actionfraud.police.uk.
How to protect yourself
- Beware of any unsolicited communication you receive about being a victim of fraud.
- Genuine law enforcement and other agencies don’t charge fees when returning money to crime victims. Any request for fees indicates a fraud- particularly when asked to pay upfront.
- Beware that some fraudsters spoof their phone numbers, websites and email addresses to make them look like they are making contact from a real organisation.
- If the service sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.
To report a fraud and receive a police crime reference number, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use our online fraud reporting tool.
