£56m lost to online shopping fraud up 20% compared to last year

EMBARGO: 22.30 30th January 2025

A Freedom of Information request by the Liberal Democrats has revealed the shocking extent of online shopping fraud in the UK, it comes as Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey is due to highlight the issue in the South West today. 

In the 2023/24 financial year, a whopping 68,082 cases of online shopping fraud were reported across the UK - adding up to more than £56 million in losses. 

This is a 20% increase from online shopping fraud losses in the previous financial year, which stood at less than £47 million. In 2023/24, each victim lost an average of £827 - up 18% from average losses of £700 in 2022/23. 

On average, more than £154,000 was lost to online shopping fraud in 2023/24 every single day. Nearly £9 million of these losses were recorded by the Metropolitan Police, while nearly £7 million in losses couldn’t be attributed to a single police force. 

The Liberal Democrats have slammed the previous Conservative Government for these figures, arguing that they failed to adapt to the evolving nature of fraud which led to an increase in online scams over recent years. The party is now calling on the government to bring forward a new plan to tackle fraud, including the creation of an Online Crime Agency to coordinate work across the country on stopping online fraud.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey MP said: 

“Criminals are preying on vulnerable people with frauds and scams online on an industrial scale. Yet the last Conservative Government sat on its hands and let these fraudsters get away with it.

“People have lost eye-watering amounts of money to online fraudsters and we urgently need real action to stop them. 

“Liberal Democrats are urging the Government to set up a new Online Crime Agency to tackle fraud, bring these vile criminals to justice, and free up police time to focus on keeping our communities safe.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

This data was uncovered by a Freedom of Information request to Action Fraud, based out of the City of London police. Their full response can be found here. 

Online shopping and auction fraud is described by Action Fraud as “fraudulent shopping scams that rely on the anonymity of the internet.”

Liberal Democrat plans for an Online Crime Agency would: 

• Create a national agency to effectively tackle online crimes such as personal fraud and threats and incitement to violence on social media;
• Attract and invest in professionals with the necessary skills;
• Coordinate work across the UK, recognising that perpetrators and victims of online crime can be based in entirely different parts of