May 2026
The biggest scams circulating right now in the UK are heavily AI-driven and much more convincing than older scam attempts. Fraud reports in the UK hit record levels recently, with banks and security agencies warning about AI voice cloning, fake customer support, phishing texts and investment scams.
Here are the main scams being reported in 2026:
AI voice cloning scams
Scammers clone someone’s voice from social media clips or phone recordings and pretend to be:
• your bank
• a family member
• police
• tech support
Often they create urgency:
“I’ve lost my phone”
“Your bank account is compromised”
“Transfer the money immediately”
These scams are rising rapidly.
Fake bank & FCA texts
Texts pretending to be from:
• banks
• the FCA
• HMRC
• Royal Mail
• TV Licensing
They include links to fake websites designed to steal:
• passwords
• bank details
• card information
Which? recently warned about fake FCA and TV licence messages.
“Quishing” QR code scams
Fake QR codes placed:
• in emails
• parking meters
• posters
• delivery notices
Scanning them takes you to a fake login/payment page. This is one of the fastest-growing scams in 2026.
Fake customer service numbers
AI-generated search results are increasingly showing fake support numbers for companies like:
• broadband providers
• Microsoft
• Amazon
• banks
You ring the number and the scammers try to:
• gain remote access
• steal passwords
• convince you to transfer money
Romance & “pig butchering” scams
A scammer builds trust over weeks or months, then encourages victims to invest in fake crypto or trading platforms.
These often start through:
• Facebook
• WhatsApp
• TikTok
• dating apps
Victims sometimes see fake profits initially before losing everything.
Fake police or fraud investigator calls
Someone claims:
• your account is under investigation
• counterfeit money was found
• police need your help
They then ask you to:
• transfer money
• withdraw cash
• hand over bank cards
UK police and banks have issued fresh warnings about this.
TikTok & social media scams
Very common now:
• fake giveaways
• “investment mentors”
• fake shops
• impersonation accounts
• fake paid promotion offers
Scammers also use AI-generated celebrity videos and deepfakes.
Biggest warning signs
If ANY of these happen, stop immediately:
• pressure or urgency
• requests for bank transfers
• requests for passwords or PINs
• unexpected QR codes
• poor website addresses
• “too good to be true” offers
• someone asking you to keep it secret
• requests to move conversations to WhatsApp or Telegram
Best protection steps
• Never transfer money because of a phone call or text
• Independently ring the company using its official website
• Use 2-factor authentication
• Never share one-time banking codes
• Pause before scanning QR codes
• Don’t trust caller ID — it can be faked
• Search for businesses yourself instead of clicking links