IN the first half of 2026, the UK experienced a record high of over 220,000 fraud cases reported to the National Fraud Database (NFD), with identity fraud rising by 9% year-on-year, largely driven by scams targeting bank accounts and credit cards. Impersonation incidents using victims' real addresses increased by 12%, while account takeover cases also saw a 5% rise.
Notably, individuals aged 21-30 witnessed the most significant rise in fraud incidents, although the majority of identity fraud victims were aged 61 and above. The report highlighted growing concerns about synthetic identities and AI-enabled impersonation, emphasizing the need for education and early intervention to combat fraud threats.