UK Data Shows that APP Fraud Losses Increase by 12% in H1

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According to new figures from the trade association UK Finance, authorized push payment (APP) fraud losses in the UK reached £257.5 million ($338.6 million) in the first half of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 12%.

APP fraud occurs when victims willingly send money to fraudsters, often by bank transfer. As the transfers are “authorized,” it can be difficult to recover lost funds. Banks and payment firms only managed to return 62% of the total amount stolen during the first half of the year to victims.

Investment scams contributed the most to the increase, with victims losing £97.7 million ($128.5 million) to fake investment schemes. This represents a 55% jump from the same period in 2024. Romance scam losses also increased by 35%. However, the most prevalent type of APP fraud is purchase scams, with victims paying for goods or services that never arrive. These made up 72% of all APP fraud.

Case volumes for police and bank impersonation scams, meanwhile, fell by 16% and losses by 14%, attributed in part to public awareness campaigns.

To address growing fraud losses, UK Finance has called for more cross-industry collaboration, suggesting that technology and telecommunications sectors should share their expertise and intelligence, while financially contributing to reimbursement for fraud.