Warning signs as Londoners ‘disproportionately’ targeted by investment scams

The FCA has warned about the rise of a new investment fraud tactic – ‘screen sharing’ scams – catching investors off guard. Victims are tricked into downloading software that gives criminals remote access to their computers, allowing them to view sensitive financial information and gain access to investment accounts.

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This warning comes as investment fraud losses in the UK soared beyond £220 million in 2025 – a 40% increase compared with the previous year – with victims losing an average of £1,675 every minute last year.

In light of Scams Awareness Month this July, online broker experts BrokerChooser analysed Action Fraud data to uncover which police forces record the highest number of investment scam reports –  revealing where Brits are most likely to be targeted and which areas have suffered the greatest financial losses. 

Key findings:

• Londoners are being ‘disproportionately’ targeted by investment fraudsters, with the capital clocking 651 investment scam cases per one million people over the past year.
• However, it’s victims in Avon and Somerset who are paying the highest price, with the average loss per investment scam hitting a jaw-dropping £48,013.
• Ádám Nasli, Head Broker Analyst at  BrokerChooser, also revealed three common phrases investment scammers use to gain trust and lure people into fraudulent schemes.

The UK areas where you’re most likely to fall victim to investment scams

Rank	Police force	Investment scam count(June 2025 – June 2026)	Reported Loss (£)	Loss per individual scam (£)	Number of investment scams per 1M people
1	Metropolitan	5,911	£162,721,650	£27,528	651
2	Northamptonshire	402	£6,586,664	£16,384	494
3	Hertfordshire	596	£13,981,250	£23,458	482
4	Surrey	596	£16,786,846	£28,165	477
5	West Midlands	1,440	£16,577,509	£11,512	474
6	Bedfordshire	355	£6,094,336	£17,167	473
7	Thames Valley	1,228	£25,769,743	£20,985	465
8	North Wales	308	£3,442,312	£11,176	442
9	Warwickshire	279	£4,826,118	£17,297	441
10	Lancashire	703	£12,543,563.99	£17,842	439

For the complete data of all areas analysed, please click here

Londoners are the UK’s biggest targets for investment scammers, with the Metropolitan Police area recording 5,911 reported cases over the past year – equivalent to a staggering 651 investment scam reports per one million residents. In total, victims across the capital have been conned out of an eye-watering £162,721,650, with the average scam costing £27,528 – more than double the average loss suffered by victims in West Midlands (£11,512).

Northamptonshire ranks as the second biggest investment scam hotspot, recording 494 scams per one million residents. Fraudsters have fleeced investors in the area out of £6,586,664, with the average victim parting with a hefty £16,384 after being lured into bogus investment opportunities.

Residents in Hertfordshire are the third most likely to fall victim with 482 investment scam reports per one million people. It’s also one of the costliest places to fall victim, with investors losing an average of £23,458 per scam – the third highest average loss in the top ten, pushing total losses to £13,981,250.

Rounding off the top five most targeted areas are Surrey and the West Midlands. Surrey logs 477 cases per million residents, while West Midlands trails behind at 474 cases per million. However, victims in Surrey are paying a much steeper price, losing an average of £28,165 per scam.

Ádám Nasli, Head Broker Analyst at  BrokerChooser, shared three warning signs to spot investment scams:

“Social media has made it easier than ever for scammers to hunt for victims. A polished video and a stream of glowing comments can manufacture trust in seconds, and that fear of missing out is one of the sharpest tools in a fraudster’s hands, especially when an opportunity is dressed up as exclusive. Here’s the test that cuts through the hype: genuine investments are mostly accessible through an FCA-regulated broker you can find and verify for yourself. Before moving a penny, check whether the firm or adviser is authorised in the FCA’s registry, and if the only way in is a private link or a WhatsApp group, that exclusivity isn’t a perk, it’s a scam. Legitimate brokers welcome scrutiny, while fraudsters need you to trust a person instead of checking a register.”

1. “Returns are 100% guaranteed, this is a completely risk-free investment.”

Scammers often use certainty and confidence to make fake opportunities appear safe. In reality, all legitimate investments carry some level of risk and no genuine provider can guarantee profits or promise that you won’t lose money.

2. “You need to act fast or you’ll miss out on this opportunity.”

Fraudsters often claim an offer is exclusive and only available for a limited time to pressure victims into making rushed decisions. The goal is to stop people from researching the company or seeking independent advice, instead pushing them to transfer money before they realise something is wrong. 

3. “Join our WhatsApp group to get exclusive investment tips and access to our expert advisers.”

Private messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram are favoured by fraudsters because they allow them to build trust in private. These groups can appear highly convincing with staged conversations designed to make victims feel they are gaining access to an exclusive opportunity. Only get advice from legitimate FCA-authorised professionals or firms, no legitimate financial adviser will cold-contact you on WhatsApp or pressure you into making investment decisions.

Where UK investment scam victims are paying the highest price

Rank	Police force	Investment scam count(June 2025 – June 2026)	Number of investment scams per 1M people	Reported Loss (£)	Loss per individual scam (£)
1	Avon & Somerset	675	372	£32,408,575	£48,013
2	Gloucestershire	265	396	£9,438,221	£35,616
3	Devon & Cornwall	722	392	£21,829,874	£30,235
4	Surrey	596	477	£16,786,847	£28,166
5	Metropolitan	5911	651	£162,721,651	£27,529
6	Dorset	328	411	£8,680,494	£26,465
7	Sussex	685	389	£18,000,299	£26,278
8	Suffolk	291	370	£7,119,090	£24,464
9	Hertfordshire	596	482	£13,981,251	£23,458
10	West Mercia	499	372	£10,779,483	£21,602

Victims in Avon and Somerset are forking out the most to investment scams, with a jaw-dropping average loss of £48,013 per incident. That’s about 35% higher than in Gloucestershire, which records the second highest average loss per investment scam at £35,616.

Devon and Cornwall, Surrey and the Metropolitan round out the top five areas where investment scams hit victims hardest financially, with average loss per incident standing at £30,235 and £28,166 and £27,529 respectively.