The U.K. government has published its latest national fraud strategy, outlining a cross-sector plan to “disrupt the methods used by criminals, strengthen protection for the public and businesses, and improve how victims are supported.”
The strategy document, released on March 9, sets out a coordinated approach involving law enforcement, financial services, telecoms providers and technology platforms. It aims to address the growing scale and sophistication of fraud, which remains the most common crime affecting U.K. citizens and businesses.
According to the government, the strategy introduces a package of measures intended to tackle fraud at multiple stages of the crime lifecycle.
“The government’s forthcoming Fraud Strategy will introduce a robust suite of measures and policies designed to protect individuals and businesses from the evolving threat of fraud.”
The plan reflects a wider effort to treat fraud as a major national security and economic threat.
Advances in criminal tactics enabled by the rise of AI tools and the globalization of organised crime are driving the growth of fraud in the U.K., the report notes, allowing criminals to develop and increase the scale and speed of their illicit activities targeting businesses and individuals.
“Phishing sits at the heart of this threat. Criminals are adopting generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools such as deepfakes, large language models, and voice cloning to improve the sophistication, credibility and volume of attacks. They are likely tailoring these tools to specific victims and fraud types, making attacks more effective and harder to detect.”
Criminals are crafting convincing messages and increasing the volume of attacks to harvest personal and financial data.
UK Fraud Strategy Prioritises Fraud Prevention
A key focus of the strategy is reducing fraud before it reaches consumers and businesses. Officials indicate this will involve improved intelligence sharing between sectors, increased enforcement activity and enhanced protections on digital platforms.
Fraud against individuals and businesses is the largest type of crime in the U.K., costing the economy £14.4BN in 2023-2024, according to the strategy document. This can have a knock-on effect on customer activity, as people and businesses who experience fraud can become more cautious, reducing their spending or redirecting money to protect themselves.
The Government plans to invest over £250MN between 2026 and 2029 to deliver the strategy.
The growing recognition that fraud often spans multiple industries and digital ecosystems requires collaboration between banks, technology firms, telecoms providers and regulators as fraud tactics continue to evolve, particularly with the use of artificial intelligence and automation.
The strategy sets out a range of measures targeting the infrastructure fraudsters exploit across sectors. The Home Office plans to launch a new Online Crime Centre in 2026 and issue a Call for Evidence on barriers to effective data sharing, while expanding international cooperation through the Global Fraud Summit and additional agreements with priority countries.
The Government will explore measures to reduce anonymity in phone services and develop a secure digital tool to manage U.K. telephone numbers. Online platforms will face tighter oversight, including the introduction of a Fraudulent Advertising Duty by Ofcom in 2027. The Financial Conduct Authority will issue best practice guidance for financial services and require cryptoasset firms to obtain FCA authorisation from 2027. It will also work with the National Cyber Security Centre to accelerate adoption of passkeys.
Steve Adams, Principal Consultant – Identity & Fraud Risk at Equifax U.K., said the government’s strategy must remain adaptable to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated criminal tactics.
“The Government’s fraud strategy is finally on the horizon and a critical opportunity to push back on growing economic crime. Fraudsters are moving fast, supercharged by AI and automation to find the most vulnerable targets, and it is vital any new strategy is future-proofed and just as dynamic.”
Adams also said public debate around liability between telecoms providers, social media platforms and financial institutions risks diverting attention away from prevention.
“The social media and telecoms liability debate has grabbed headlines but risks becoming a distraction. The focus has to be stopping fraud before it happens, rather than debating who pays after the fact.”
Sharing intelligence and building better defenses against Authorized Push Payment fraud, where UK losses totaled more than £250MN in the first half of 2025, will result in less liability to argue about, Adam said.
Stopping Fraud Earlier To Protect CX
Improved mechanisms for cross-industry data sharing will play a critical role in strengthening fraud prevention, according to Adams.
“The real win would be a framework that truly opens up data sharing. There are pockets of best practice out there and companies are doing great work, but often stuck in silos.”
“This strategy needs to make it easier for the industry to share insights and keep ahead of increasingly sophisticated threats, for a safer economy for businesses and consumers alike.”
For customer experience and fraud prevention teams, the strategy indicates continued pressure to strengthen collaboration across sectors and identify threats earlier in the fraud lifecycle.
As fraudsters increasingly exploit digital channels and cross-platform ecosystems, the success of the strategy will depend on how effectively government organizations and enterprises can share intelligence and coordinate responses to emerging threats.
