Step-by-step guide to reporting via Report Fraud — the UK’s national fraud reporting centre. What to prepare, how to file online vs by phone, and realistic NFIB triage expectations.
Last reviewed: 13 May 2026 · ScamSupport research
Report Fraud is open 24/7 on 0300 123 2040 (free call, all UK networks). Online reporting at reportfraud.police.uk. Phone is faster for emotionally-difficult reports; online is faster for straightforward documentation.
What Report Fraud is — and what it isn’t
Report Fraud is the public-facing reporting channel of the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), operated by City of London Police. Reports are aggregated and triaged at the national level — matching cases by pattern, location, scam type, and named operators. Cases that match thresholds (high-value, repeat offender, organised pattern) get assigned to local police forces for investigation.
The realistic role of Report Fraud:
National intelligence: aggregating UK fraud data for pattern detection, regulatory action, and policy formation.
Reference-number provider: each report gets a Crime Reference Number (CRN), typically format NFRC + 14 digits.
Triage for investigation: a fraction of reports get assigned to local police forces for investigation.
Information source for other agencies: banks, regulators (FCA, Ofcom, PSA), insurance providers, FOS all reference Report Fraud CRNs in their own processes.
What Report Fraud doesn’t do: directly recover your money. That happens via your bank’s PSR claim / chargeback / civil recovery — not via the report. Report Fraud also doesn’t provide individual case updates by default.
What to prepare before reporting
The scam itself
How contact was made (SMS / email / phone / DM / in-person / website / advert)
You’ll be asked: have you lost money? (yes/no) and a fraud category selector (online shopping, investment fraud, romance, courier, identity fraud, etc.). Pick the closest match; the form adapts.
Multi-page form covers: what happened, when, how much lost, payment method, your details, the scammer’s claimed details, evidence URLs / files.
Review submission. You’ll receive an immediate confirmation page with your Crime Reference Number (format NFRC + digits). Save / screenshot this immediately.
You’ll receive a follow-up email confirming submission. This email serves as additional documentation.
Average online report submission time: 20-40 minutes for a fully-prepared report. Sessions are limited to about 30 minutes of inactivity, so prepare materials before starting.
How to report by phone (0300 123 2040)
Call 0300 123 2040. Free from all UK landlines and mobiles. Available 24/7.
Initial automated menu directs you to fraud reporting. Press 1 for personal fraud / 2 for business / 3 for other.
You’ll be put through to a fraud advisor (waiting times typically 5-25 minutes; longer during major-incident periods).
The advisor takes you through the same form as the online version. They can also direct you to other agencies as appropriate (NCSC, IWF, FOS, ICO).
At the end, you receive your Crime Reference Number verbally + a confirmation email.
When phone is better than online:
You’re emotionally distressed and need to talk it through
You have a disability / vulnerability requiring enhanced support
You don’t have all the evidence collected and need help thinking through what happened
You’re uncertain which category to file under (e.g. is this romance fraud or investment fraud)
You want to ask follow-up questions about the process
The Crime Reference Number (CRN) — what it’s for
The CRN is your documentary proof of having reported. It’s used:
By your bank when processing PSR Mandatory Reimbursement / chargeback / Section 75 claims
By insurers when claiming on home / cyber / fraud insurance
By the Financial Ombudsman Service when escalating bank-refusal complaints
By solicitors for civil recovery proceedings
By CIFAS when processing protective-registration applications
By future fraud agencies if related cases emerge
Keep the CRN safe alongside your bank statements + transaction records. Save it in multiple places (paper note + secure digital backup).
What happens after you report
Within 24-72 hours
NFIB triage: the report is matched against existing patterns. High-value, repeat-offender, or organised-pattern cases get flagged for further investigation. Most reports remain at intelligence-only level.
Within 7-30 days
If your case is being investigated by a local police force, you’ll receive contact — either letter or phone — from the relevant force. This happens to a relatively small fraction of reports.
Updates and follow-up
Report Fraud doesn’t provide automatic case updates. If you want to know the status of your report, you can check via the “What happens after I’ve made a report?” section of reportfraud.police.uk — but realistic expectation is no individual update on most cases.
What if my case isn’t investigated?
This is the most common outcome, especially for sub-£5,000 losses. The intelligence value is still real — your report contributes to national fraud data, regulator action, and pattern-based takedowns. Your CRN still works for all the bank / insurance / recovery purposes listed above.
For substantial losses without individual investigation: civil recovery via SRA-regulated solicitor is the alternative path. They can pursue Norwich Pharmacal Orders against receiving banks (forcing disclosure of account-holder details), then civil claims against named individuals.
What Report Fraud is NOT the right channel for
Immediate financial recovery: contact your bank’s fraud line first. Report Fraud later.
Scam text messages alone (no financial loss): forward to 7726. Faster, focused on disabling the SMS infrastructure.
Phishing emails alone: forward to report@phishing.gov.uk (NCSC SERS).
Sextortion / image-based abuse of under-18s: IWF Report Remove is the dedicated takedown route.
Data breaches affecting your personal data: ICO at ico.org.uk or 0303 123 1113.
Dispute with a regulated financial service (after final response): Financial Ombudsman Service.