4 common scams to look out for as a UK newcomer

Like every country in the world, the UK has its fair share of fraudsters. They can go after anyone and everyone – in 2024, 42% of adults living in Britain were targeted by at least one scam.

Often these scams prey on common fears, exploiting people when they’re feeling unsure and anxious. If you’ve just moved to the UK, this can leave you particularly vulnerable to some scams.

But if you arm yourself with the right knowledge, it’s easier to spot and avoid scams. Here are four common types of scam you might come across as a UK newcomer.

1. Fake landlords

Searching for affordable rental properties in the UK can be stressful, especially in cities like London where the cost of living is particularly high. To take advantage of this, fraudsters post fake listings online, showcasing desirable properties at low rates. Often this takes place on forums like Facebook Communities or Gumtree where listing is free.

Would-be tenants then get pressured into paying ‘urgent’ up-front deposits and advance rent without seeing the property first. Sadly, it then turns out the property isn’t real – or isn’t theirs – and the scammer disappears with the money.

Students and people searching for properties ahead of a move to the UK are prime targets for this kind of scam.

How to protect yourself from rental scams

• Be wary of low rents for attractive listings. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
• Ideally, use a reputable letting agent to find a property. You can check that they’re members of trade bodies such as The UK Association of Letting Agents (UKALA).
• Dealing with a landlord? Always get proof of their identity and ownership of the property. Ask to see key documents such as a driving licence, passport, bank statement and utility bills with their name and the correct address on.
• Always view a property in person before handing over any money. If you need to sort out a place to live before moving to the UK, ask someone you trust to view it for you. You could also ask your employer or university for help finding somewhere to live.
• Say no to any landlord who refuses to meet in person or uses high-pressure tactics and urgent deadlines to persuade you to send them large sums of money.

You may be asked for other payments up-front related to renting. Some of these, like security deposits, are legitimate – though there are legal limits to the amounts that can be asked for. But others, like viewing fees, are illegal. Read our guide to renting for more information about the costs you should be prepared for.

2. Phishing scams

‘Phishing’ is when fraudsters target you with emails, text messages or phone calls to trick you into handing over personal information. They pretend to be real, reputable businesses, or individuals that you know, with the aim of stealing your information, bank details and money.

If you’re new to the UK, you may find yourself targeted by certain phishing scams. These may try to exploit common worries or take advantage of your unfamiliarity with UK systems. Some examples include:

• Fake emails, texts and calls claiming to be from the UK Home Office. Often these will say a visa application has been rejected or ‘urgent’ action is needed to avoid deportation.
• Fake emails, texts and calls pretending to be the UK’s tax authority, HMRC. They may say you can claim a tax refund via a link, or demand ‘urgent’ tax payments by threatening arrest.
• Fake National Health Service (NHS) messages asking you to pay for non-essential health certificates or services. Remember, using the NHS is free.
• Fake emails, texts and calls from recruitment agencies claiming to offer jobs and work in exchange for money and personal information.
• Fake emails, texts and calls pretending to be your bank asking for urgent account verification or payments.

New phishing scams pop up all the time and they can be very convincing. But there are lots of ways to spot them.

How to protect yourself from phishing scams

• Official UK government bodies and financial institutions like banks will never ask you to share sensitive information via email, text or phone. Be very suspicious of any interactions like this.
• Check the email address. Scammers often use emails that look real but have tiny changes or misspellings.
• Never click on suspicious links or open attachments in messages you weren’t expecting. If you’re using a computer, you can hover over a link without clicking to check the URL. Or you can visit a website yourself manually to compare.
• Be wary of threatening language and demands for urgent action. These scams are designed to scare you into acting quickly before thinking.
• Look out for poor grammar and spelling. Many phishing messages are badly written.
• Hang up on any unexpected, suspicious calls and phone the company back yourself.
• Don’t share personal information on social media. It only makes it easier for the scammers.

‍3. Romance scams

Moving to a new country can be a lonely business. So to meet new people and make connections, it’s natural that you may want to join online communities and download dating apps. And you should go for it! But be aware that romance scammers are at work in these places too.

Romance scammers create fake profiles online to manipulate others into thinking they’ve found the perfect romantic partner or friend. Once they’ve gained your trust they’ll ask for money, telling lies and exploiting the emotional hold they have to persuade you into parting with your cash.

Anyone can fall for a romance scam – they can be tricky to spot and hard to get clear of. Being aware of the signs can stop you falling into common traps.

How to protect yourself from romance scams

• Be wary of anyone who refuses to meet in person, and/or ‘can’t’ communicate via video call. They may not be the person in the picture.
• Use Google to reverse search profile images. If they have been copied from other profiles or websites they may show in the search results.
• Be very suspicious of any requests for money, loan applications or personal information from people you haven’t met.
• Speak to family and friends to get advice.

‍4. Car insurance scams

Car insurance scams are big business for scammers. There are a few different types of car insurance fraud you should be on the look-out for – but one of the most common are ghost brokers.

Ghost brokers are people who pose as insurance agents online. They take advantage of people who may be struggling to get affordable cover by claiming that they can find you a cheap policy.

In reality, they take out an insurance policy in your name with a legitimate provider, but with incorrect details to get the cheapest price possible. They then sell the policy on to you at inflated cost.

These policies aren’t valid as they have all the wrong details. So not only will you have lost money, but you’ll also technically be driving without insurance – which can get you in trouble with the police.

How to protect yourself from ghost brokers

• Get car insurance quotes directly from a provider or a reputable comparison website. People rarely use insurance brokers to buy car insurance in the UK, so be wary of anyone who offers this service – especially if you met them online.
• Been offered a Marshmallow policy by a broker? Run! We don’t work with brokers so you can be sure there’s a car insurance scam at play.
• If you do speak to an insurance broker, it’s best to run a check on them. All brokers in the UK have to be registered with an organisation called the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). You can use a broker’s name to check if they’re registered.

How to report scams and fraud

If you think you may have lost money or been hacked because you’ve been scammed online in any way, you can report it to Action Fraud UK. This is the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime.

You can also forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk where the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) will investigate.

To report suspicious texts to your mobile phone provider, forward suspicious text messages to 7726 - it’s free.

You can report any fraudulent adverts online to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).