As of April 2025, an incredible 41 million phishing scams have been reported to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) since its launch in April 2020. This astounding collective action has empowered the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to take down a staggering 217,000 scams across 393,395 website pages. That’s a serious dent in the criminals' operations!
Who Are They Impersonating?
Action Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service, has revealed that the top industries impersonated in these reported phishing attempts are familiar faces: streaming services, tech and telecommunication companies. Even various UK government schemes have been mimicked, highlighting the diverse tactics criminals use to trick us.
Your Phone is Your Weapon: Reporting Texts and Calls
It's not just emails. Those annoying spam calls and suspicious text messages can also be reported, and it makes a real difference. By forwarding suspicious text messages to 7726, a free service offered by mobile network providers, you're helping to remove scam websites and allowing networks to block those sending scam texts. Between April 2020 and April 2025, over 27,000 scams were removed thanks to this simple action.
Superintendent Amanda Wolf, Head of the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau at the City of London Police, stresses the importance of every single report: "Every phishing email reported helps us gain a better understanding of the tactics being used and enables us to tackle it head on by identifying malicious URLs trending in phishing emails and texts - they can be taken down and disrupted, preventing further activity. The more reports received, the more people we can protect, preventing them from becoming victims."
Sarah Lyons, NCSC Deputy Director for Economy and Society Resilience, echoes this sentiment: "Since 2020, over 41 million phishing attempts have been reported to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service — a powerful sign that the public is staying alert to online threats, helping to protect themselves and others."
So, What Exactly Is Phishing?
In simple terms, 'phishing', ‘quishing’ (using QR codes), or ‘smishing’ (via text messages) is when criminals use fake communications – emails, texts, QR codes, or phone calls – to trick you. Their goal? To get you to click a malicious link, scan a fraudulent QR code, or divulge personal and financial information on a genuine-looking but fake website. They often impersonate well-known brands or organisations you already have a connection with to make their scams more convincing.
How Can You Protect Yourself? Stay Alert!
The key is to STOP, THINK FRAUD. If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.
If you’ve received an email that doesn’t feel right, STOP!
- Break the contact: Don’t reply, click on any links, call any phone numbers, or make any payments.
- Check if it’s genuine: Contact the organisation directly using a known, correct email address or phone number (e.g., from your utility bills, their official website, or by calling 159 for banks).
- Before you delete it, forward it to: report@phishing.gov.uk
If you’ve received a text message that doesn’t feel right, STOP!
- Break the contact: Don’t reply, click on any links, call any phone numbers, or make any payments.
- Check if it’s genuine: Contact the organisation directly using a known, correct email address or phone number.
- Forward the message for free to: 7726
If you’ve received a call that doesn’t feel right, STOP!
- Hang up!
- Check if it’s genuine: Contact the organisation directly using known, correct contact details.
- Don’t trust Caller ID: It can be faked!
- Report it: Send a text to 7726 with the word ‘call’ followed by the scam caller’s number.
For more comprehensive advice on protecting yourself from fraud, visit:
What if you've been caught out?
If you've unfortunately lost money or provided financial information as a result of a phishing scam, notify your bank immediately. Then, report it to Action Fraud at https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.
Every report counts. By staying vigilant and reporting suspicious communications, we're all playing a crucial part in making the UK a safer place online. Don't get hooked – keep reporting!
Source: Action Fraud (02-06-2025)
