Criminals who hack email and social media accounts are increasingly using victims' identities to deceive their friends, relatives, and colleagues, with reported losses reaching £6.3 million in the 2025-26 financial year.
The figure represents a 417% increase from £1.2 million a year earlier, while the number of reports rose by 34%, according to Report Fraud. The figures were released on 5 October as Report Fraud launched an awareness campaign urging people to strengthen their online accounts and reduce the risk of account takeovers.
