Reporting · United Kingdom
Where to report an investment scam in the UK
Use Report Fraud, Police Scotland, your payment provider and the FCA for their different roles rather than waiting for one report to do everything.
By Stonebridge Resolution · Published 4 October 2026 · Updated 4 October 2026
AI-generated illustration; not a depiction of a real case.
The short answer
Contact your payment provider immediately. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland use Report Fraud; in Scotland contact Police Scotland on 101. Report suspected unauthorised or clone investment firms to the FCA separately.
Start with the institution that moved the money
Call your bank, card issuer or genuine exchange through a trusted channel and explain the suspected fraud. Ask about stopping payments, recall attempts, account security and any applicable reimbursement process.
A national crime report is important, but it does not automatically notify every payment provider or preserve a banking dispute deadline. Run those processes in parallel.
Use the current national reporting route
For England, Wales and Northern Ireland, use the official Report Fraud service at reportfraud.police.uk. Older articles may refer to Action Fraud; use the current official service rather than an old copied link.
In Scotland, contact Police Scotland on 101 for non-emergency reporting. If there is immediate danger or a crime requiring an urgent response, contact emergency services rather than relying on an online report.
Notify the FCA about investment impersonation
A regulator report can help identify unauthorised firms, misleading approaches or clones of legitimate businesses. Include the exact domain, contact details, claimed firm name and reference number.
The FCA's warning and register information can help you check a firm's identity, but reporting to a regulator is not the same as making a compensation claim. Do not assume it will personally recover the money or resolve your bank complaint.
Prepare records for each purpose
Use a short timeline with actual payments, dates, beneficiary details and the deception. For crypto, add the asset, network and transaction hashes. Save the messages containing instructions and any demands for withdrawal fees.
Keep each organisation's reference number and explain which reports have already been made. Do not submit wallet secrets or unnecessary identity-document copies in a general narrative. Follow the official service's evidence instructions.
Understand the complaint route as a separate process
If your bank or an eligible financial business refuses a claim, make a formal complaint to that business. The Financial Ombudsman Service may be able to consider an eligible complaint after the provider's response or relevant response period.
Read the final-response deadline carefully. A police investigation does not necessarily pause ombudsman time limits. Keep the reporting record, payment dispute and complaint correspondence organised as related but distinct processes.
Checklist
- Call the payment provider without delay.
- Use Report Fraud or Police Scotland as appropriate.
- Report clone or unauthorised firms to the FCA.
- Track complaint deadlines separately from crime reports.
Common questions
Should I still use Action Fraud links?
Use the current official Report Fraud service for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For Scotland, use Police Scotland on 101.
Will an FCA report reimburse my loss?
Not by itself. Regulatory reporting, criminal investigation and reimbursement or complaint processes have different roles.