Investment fraud victims in the UK are losing an average of over £25,000, according to the Report Fraud organisation, which focuses on fighting financial crime. These scams not only drain victims of significant sums of money but also harm their confidence in making legitimate financial decisions. The National Crime Agency (NCA) has launched a campaign to raise awareness of the warning signs of investment fraud, which can lead to the loss of "life-changing" amounts of money. Criminals often promote fake investment opportunities through websites and social media, using tactics such as fake celebrity endorsements or fabricated news stories to attract victims. Report Fraud reported a 37% increase in investment fraud cases, with the number rising from 26,616 in 2024-25 to 36,464 in 2025-26. In the same period, total losses reached £991 million, which equates to about £100,000 lost every hour. Types of fraud commonly reported include share sales, cryptocurrency investments, and recovery fraud, where criminals contact victims of previous scams, pretending to help them recover their lost money in exchange for more funds. Victims often only realize they have been scammed when they attempt to close accounts or withdraw money and find the company has vanished. Nick Sharp, deputy director of fraud at the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC) within the NCA, said that fraudsters exploit people seeking to grow their wealth, using overwhelming data to create the illusion of high returns. He emphasized that losing £25,000 is a significant blow for most people and undermines their trust in both their own judgment and the legitimacy of financial investments. Steve Smart, from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), noted the devastating impact of investment scams and highlighted the need for more action against those behind them. The FCA issued 2,329 warnings last year about unauthorised or potentially fraudulent firms and uncovered illegal financial advertisements reaching millions of UK users. To protect themselves, consumers are advised to use the FCA’s firm checker tool to verify if an investment firm is authorized. If someone believes they have been scammed, they should contact their bank and the police immediately and avoid deleting any messages that could aid an investigation. Victims should also be cautious of services claiming to help recover lost money, as these are often tactics used by criminals to extract more funds.