If you think you’ve been contacted by a fraudster or unauthorised firm, find out which scams we can look into and how to make a report.
Beware of scammers pretending to be from the FCA. We'd never ask you to transfer money to us and we'd never ask for your bank account PINs and passwords. Find out how to spot fake FCA communications[1], the tactics scammers use and methods of contact.
Anyone can be the target of a scam. Sometimes, it can be hard to tell the difference between a con and a genuine offer. If you’re contacted about:
- an investment
- your pension
- taking out a loan or credit
- insurance and warranty products
- making a claim
Or if you're suspicious about an investment you’ve seen online, or a financial service you’ve paid for, report it to us.
If you’ve given scammers any of your personal information, or you’ve made a payment, tell your bank immediately using the contact details on your card or statements. Find out more about how to protect yourself from scams[2].
Scams we can't help with
We can only look into scams that involve financial services we regulate. We can't help with:
- driving licence scams
- TV licence scams
- HMRC and tax scams
- competition or lottery scams
- eBay/Gumtree/Amazon merchant scams (for example, the seller not delivering goods)
If you’ve been contacted about one of these scams:
- Contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via the website[3]. If you live in Scotland, you should report to Police Scotland by calling 101, or contact Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000.
- Get in touch with the relevant organisation or regulator.
If you get a suspicious email, text or phone call claiming to be from HMRC, find out how to report it[4].
How to report a scam
If you've lost money to a scam, contact Action Fraud and then report it to us.
We can't help you get your money back, but we look into every report we receive and it could help protect others.
If you live outside the UK
If you're based outside the UK and think you’ve been scammed, please speak to your local police and home state regulator in the first instance. You can find contact details[5] via the International Organization of Securities Commissions. We can't help you get your money back and we won’t contact you to tell you we have your money.
If you're targeted by scammers, you're at greater risk of being targeted again, potentially by recovery room scammers[6] who pretend to be legitimate firms offering to recover your lost funds.
If you live in the UK
In the first instance, you should report scams to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via their website[3]. If you live in Scotland, you should report to Police Scotland by calling 101, or contact Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000.
Use the FCA Firm Checker[8] to find out if a firm is authorised and has permission for the service it's offering you. If you can’t find a firm on the Firm Checker, contact us on 0800 111 6768.
