Top scams to watch out for in 2025

Scams were rife in 2024, with one in five people in Britain being fleeced out of their money.   

Being scammed can take a huge toll on your life. Citizens Advice found that over 40% of people who were scammed last year had to borrow or increase debt just to cope, with many turning to family or taking on extra work to make ends meet. 

Sadly, scams are expected to be even more common in 2025. With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), scammers are using more advanced methods to trick you.  

As Baz Thompson from Metro Bank warns: “Fraud is always evolving and with criminals now exploiting AI and machine learning, our expectation is that scams will be increasingly more sophisticated.” 

To help you stay protected, here are the top scams to watch out for in 2025. 

Romance scams  

Romance scams aren’t new, but AI is making them more convincing.  

Scammers use AI to create fake profiles on dating and social media apps to gain your trust, eventually asking for money, investments, or gifts. 

How to avoid a romance scam: 

• Take your time to get to know the person before getting emotionally involved. 

• Ask lots of questions to help confirm their identity. 

• Stick to the platform you started on and avoid moving onto email, text, or phone calls. 

• Never share your personal information, including bank details. 

• Be suspicious of requests to transfer money or purchase gift cards. 

Impersonation scams  

Impersonation scams are common, especially targeting younger people.  

According to UK Finance, 71% of people aged 18-34 and almost half of those aged 18-24 have been contacted by impersonators. 

How to spot an impersonation scam: 

• You receive a message from someone claiming to be a family member asking for money. 

• You’re contacted by a company, demanding urgent payments. 

• A delivery company claims you owe a fee to reschedule a delivery. 

• You get a call from someone pretending to be the police, asking for money. 

• Someone pretends to be from your bank, asking for your card or PIN details. 

How to protect yourself from impersonation scams: 

• Avoid clicking on links in unexpected messages. 

• Be wary of unexpected requests for money. 

• Hang up immediately if someone asks for money over the phone. 

• Never share your PIN or give access to your bank details. 

• The police will never ask for financial help in an investigation. 

• Never give remote access to your computer unless you started the request. 

Ticket scams  

We saw it when Oasis tickets went up for sale in November, when fans reported being scammed.  On average, victims lost £346, with some losing up to £1,000. 

Scammers often target people eager to buy event tickets, offering fake or overpriced tickets. 

How ticket scams work: 

• Fake emails, websites, or social media posts advertise tickets at discounted or inflated prices. 

• False error messages prompt you to pay again for tickets. 

• Pressure tactics urge you to buy tickets quickly. 

• Scammers sell the same ticket to multiple buyers. 

Who’s most at risk?   

• Over 90% of ticket scams start on social media, mainly Facebook. 

• People aged 35-44 are the most targeted, making up 31% of cases. 

How to protect yourself from ticket scams: 

•  Buy tickets from official, trusted platforms only.  

• Confirm seller profiles on social media before buying. 

• Avoid deals that seem too good to be true. 

• Use secure payment methods, such as credit or debit cards. 

Scams involving cryptocurrency (a digital currency designed to work through a computer network) are on the rise, with scammers tricking people into buying fake cryptocurrencies or promising high returns on “investments”. 

How crypto scams work: 

• Scammers trick you into buying cryptocurrencies, only to steal your funds. 

• Fraudsters offer "too good to be true" investments, leaving you with nothing. 

How to avoid crypto scams: 

• Stick to well-known, trusted platforms for buying and trading crypto. 

• Research any tokens or coins before investing. 

• Be wary of anyone promising fast and easy money in crypto markets. 

• Never share personal documents or give anyone access to your accounts.  

• Don’t fall for unexpected messages or download remote access software. 

Reporting a scam 

Reporting scams can save other people from getting tricked. Don’t be embarrassed about reporting a scam – they’re designed so that anyone can fall for them. 

• You can report the scam to Citizens Advice and they’ll pass information onto Trading Standards who will decide whether or not to investigate.  

• It’s also a good idea to report scams to Action Fraud on their website or by calling 0300 123 2040.  

• If you spot an online scam advert, you can report it to the Advertising Standards Authority. 

Get more tips on avoiding falling victim to scams in our guide on how to outsmart online scammers.