Purchase Scam Checks Have Almost Trebled Over The Past Year, According To Data

Purchase scam checks have almost trebled over the past year, according to industry data.

Data from a free scam checking service has revealed purchase scams are the biggest growing scam recognised in the UK, with checks – where consumers look to verify if a communication is real or fraudulent - on this category increasing by 164 per cent across the last 12 months.

This form of fraud happens when consumers pay in advance for goods or services which never arrive or do not exist.

Checks for impersonation fraud are up 31 per cent, while fake alerts - warning pop-ups, emails, or texts to trick you into thinking your device is infected are up 62 per cent in the last six months.

Other rising tactics include fake communications from delivery services (up 29 per cent), bogus online casinos (up 59 per cent) and fraudulent marketplace scams on platforms such as Facebook Marketplace and Etsy (up 76 per cent).

It comes after a poll of 2,000 Brits, commissioned by The Co-operative Bank, found exactly two thirds were worried about being scammed.

A further 63 per cent believe scams are becoming more sophisticated in how they use technology, in addition to becoming more common (57 per cent) and harder to spot (55 per cent).

With 84 per cent feeling concerned that the perpetrators are using AI to make scams more convincing.

To help customers check suspicious activity, The Co-operative Bank has teamed up with the scam-checking service, Ask Silver, to launch its own online scam-checker [] where users can upload a text message, image or website and receive guidance on whether it could be a scam.

Vishal Majithia, Head of Economic Crime at the bank, said:“The scams we're seeing today often hide behind perfectly ordinary moments, from shopping online and tracking a parcel to receiving a message that appears to be from an organisation you trust.

“Fraudsters follow where people spend their time and money and quickly adapt their tactics to popular platforms, services and new technology.

“That means anyone can be targeted, so knowing what to look out for and taking a moment to check something before you act can make all the difference.”

According to the Ask Silver data, which has also revealed the top 10 trending scams in the past 12 months, the nation has also seen a surge in fraudsters impersonating both everyday organisations and government agencies - an increase of 59 per cent and 53 per cent, respectively.

There were over four million recorded online scams in 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics – with over three million adults experiencing a loss as a result.

The Co-operative Bank's research also revealed 43 per cent of adults have previously received unexpected messages from delivery companies requesting payment details for postage shortages or confirmation of address.

While 38 per cent reported receiving delivery tracking messages for something they didn't order.

Those who have ever been scammed have lost an average of £2850, with 60 per cent stating that most digital scams they have encountered were disguised as everyday admin.

It also emerged 65 per cent of those polled via OnePoll believed elderly people are the most susceptible to digital scams.

However, data from ONS shows those aged 25 to 44 were the most likely to fall victim to this – particularly phishing scams which involve messages from fraudsters posing as legitimate organisations to extract personal information, or money, from the victim.

Delivery (66 per cent), government impersonation (60 per cent) and windfall scams (60 per cent) - in which the victim is promised a large, unexpected sum of money - were those adults were most aware of.

While cryptocurrency (46 per cent), casino (38 per cent) and task scams (40 per cent) - in which the scammer promises money for fake paid-by-the-hour tasks – were among the less familiar of types of scam.

Alex Somervell, CEO and co-founder of Ask Silver, said:“In this digital age where scams are increasingly sophisticated, and fraudsters are highly experienced, we have to empower individuals with tools that keep them safe and allow them to communicate, shop and live with peace of mind.

“This is a deeply personal mission for me as my dad lost almost his entire life savings to scammers, and it had a devastating impact on our family, and trying to help prevent that experience for others inspires us at Ask Silver.

“As AI-enhanced scams accelerate the potential impact of fraud, we are using our AI-powered scam checker to fight back.

“Supporting customers at the point where individuals are parting with their hard-earned cash is where we can make a real difference, and we're delighted to be partnering with The Co-operative Bank in this way because with every scam we stop, it's another person we can keep safe.”

TOP 10 SCAM TRENDS OF THE LAST 12 MONTHS:

1. General purchase scams (31 per cent): purchase scams that aren't marketplace scams - these are mainly eCommerce websites
2. General impersonation scams (10 per cent): impersonation of everyday organisations (e.g. Tesco, British Gas)
3. Tech scams (nine per cent): mostly antivirus scams (e.g. Norton, McAfee)
4. Delivery scams (six per cent): fake comms from delivery services (e.g. DPD, Evri, DHL)
5. Government impersonation scams (four per cent): e.g. HMRC, DWP, Police
6. Casino scams (four per cent): fake online casinos
7. Crypto scams (three per cent)
8. Marketplace scams (three per cent): online marketplaces (e.g. Facebook Marketplace, Etsy)
9. Task scams (three per cent): fake paid-by-the-hour tasks, usually online
10. Windfall scams (three per cent): scams that promise people large, unexpected sums of money (e.g. lottery win, investment return, fake inheritance)

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