Lets talk investigations into web scams…..
- Nearly 43 million UK adult internet users have encountered suspected scams online
- Among victims who lost money, one in five were left over £1,000 out of pocket
- Majority of online users think tech firms have responsibility to act to tackle the problem, sadly that does not happen!
Around nine in ten online adults in the UK (87%) have come across content they suspected to be a scam or fraud!
Lets talk about Company scams and fake company’s
It is impossible to give an exact number of scam companies operating in the UK because many are shell companies or front businesses that exist only briefly to facilitate fraud. However, estimates suggest a significant, growing problem:
- High-Volume Fraud Risk: Internal estimates from Companies House and expert commentators suggest that between 5% and 20% of new company registrations in the UK could be fraudulent.
- Mass Incorporation Abuse: On a single day in March 2025, nearly 4,000 new companies were incorporated, with some addresses linked to hundreds of suspicious entities, often using similar, slightly altered names of established brands.
- Fake FCA Firms: In the first 6 months of 2025, there were nearly 5,000 reports of scams involving firms falsely claiming to be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Scale of Impact: In 2023, scam calls accounted for 9.3% of all UK calls, and over 6 million consumers were targeted by online scams.
- Regulatory Action: In July 2025, 11,500 UK companies were struck off the Companies House register following a crackdown on fraudulent activity.
Common Types of Scam Entities
- Online Shopping/Retail: Fake websites offering non-existent or counterfeit goods.
- Investment Scams: Fraudulent entities promoting cryptocurrency, “get-rich-quick” schemes, or high-yield bonds.
- Shell/Clone Companies: Fake companies created to mimic authorized firms to gain credibility for “pig-butchering” scams (long-term investment fraud).