London Cyber Crime Statistics

London Cyber Crime Key Insights

• London’s financial density amplifies cyber crime impact – With total recorded losses exceeding £320m, and Banking (£146m, 45.4%) plus Investment (£82.4m, 25.6%) accounting for over £228m combined, financial crime is heavily concentrated around high-value transactions. In the UK’s financial capital, money movement equals opportunity.
• Banking and investment fraud drive the majority of financial losses – Although Consumer crime represents 40.6% of reports (16.6k), the largest financial damage sits within Banking and Investment (71% of total losses combined). This mirrors national trends around authorised push payment (APP) and investment fraud (UK Finance Annual Fraud Report).
• Social engineering consistently outperforms technical exploitation – Advance Fee (16.8% of reports; £19.3m losses) and Investment fraud rely on persuasion rather than system compromise. Meanwhile, Cyber Dependent crime accounts for 22.3% of reports but just 0.7% of losses (£2.2m), highlighting the effectiveness of human manipulation over technical breach (NCSC Annual Review).
• Volume and financial severity tell different stories – Consumer crime is the most reported category, yet Banking averages £35.1k per report, and Public Sector averages £52k per report, the highest severity in the dataset. Strategic risk lies in identifying where financial concentration outweighs frequency.
• London’s interconnected business ecosystem increases 3rd-party exposure – Organisational losses are dominated by Banking fraud (£129.4m, 80.6%), indicating payment diversion and supplier manipulation. In a city driven by outsourced finance, fintech platforms, and complex supply chains, 3rd-party risk is amplified (National Crime Agency Fraud Threat Assessment).

Individuals

• Consumer fraud dominates individual reporting – Individuals recorded 15.4k Consumer reports (40.9%), generating £46.2m (28.7%) in losses. High ecommerce and digital banking usage sustain consistent exposure.
• Investment fraud causes the greatest financial harm to residents – Investment crime accounts for £78.4m (48.6% of individual losses), with an average £21.5k loss per report. This reflects exploitation of accumulated savings and wealth-building activity (UK Finance).
• Loss severity increases with age – While 20–39-year-olds account for 45.3% of reports, average loss per victim rises from £2.4k (20–29) to £6.3k (60–69) and £8.3k (70–79), peaking at £20k per report (90–99). Financial vulnerability grows as asset accumulation increases.
• Banking fraud remains financially disruptive per case – Banking represents only 7.2% of individual reports, yet averages £6.1k per report, more than double Consumer fraud’s average loss.
• Technical compromise is widespread but not always financially catastrophic – Cyber Dependent incidents total 8.7k reports (23.2%), yet direct financial loss averages just £67 per report, suggesting disruption outweighs immediate monetary theft.

Organisations

• Banking fraud overwhelmingly drives organisational losses – Organisations lost £129.4m (80.6%) to Banking crime, with an average £90.8k per report - the highest severity across all categories.
• Limited companies bear the greatest exposure – Limited entities account for 61.3% of reports (2k) and £144m (89.7%) of total organisational losses, averaging £71.1k per report.
• High-value transactions create concentrated risk – Even though Consumer crime represents 37.5% of organisational reports, financial concentration sits in Banking, where single compromised payments average nearly £91k.
• Corporate and executive impersonation incidents are low in volume but high in severity – Corporate crime accounts for just 2.8% of reports, yet averages £44.1k per incident, reflecting targeted fraud rather than opportunistic activity.
• Cyber dependent incidents carry operational risk beyond reported financial loss – Representing 12.5% of reports (413) but only £1.6m (1%) in direct losses, the financial data likely understates remediation, downtime, regulatory, and reputational costs (Cyber Security Breaches Survey, UK Government).

London Cyber Crime Statistics Breakdown

Crime Types

By report volume

Insights for Report Volume

• Consumer fraud dominates because London is hyper-digital and transaction-heavy – At 40.6% of reports (16.6k), consumer crime is by far the largest category. A city built on online banking, ecommerce, fintech, and constant digital interaction naturally creates high everyday exposure to scams. Volume reflects behaviour, not naivety.
• Cyber dependent crime shows technical compromise remains a major threat – Representing 22.3% of reports (9.2k), cyber dependent offences highlight that hacking, malware, and unauthorised access remain widespread. London’s dense business ecosystem and reliance on remote access and cloud platforms create a broad attack surface.
• Advance fee fraud continues to exploit urgency in a fast-moving city – At 16.8% of reports (6.9k), advance fee scams thrive on pressure, time sensitivity, and emotional manipulation. In a city where transactions move quickly and opportunities feel urgent, social engineering consistently outperforms technical attacks.
• Banking fraud volume is moderate but strategically significant – Although 10.1% of reports (4.2k), banking fraud is closely linked to high-value transactions and immediate financial movement. In London’s finance-heavy environment, lower volume does not mean lower impact.
• Low corporate and public sector reporting should not be mistaken for low risk – Corporate (0.9%) and Public Sector (0.1%) reports are minimal in number. However, incidents affecting organisations often carry significant financial, operational, and reputational consequences, and some may be handled internally before formal reporting.

By financial losses

Insights for Financial Losses

• Banking fraud causes the greatest financial damage in London – At £146m (45.4% of total losses), Banking accounts for nearly half of all reported financial impact. With an average £35.1k per report, these incidents are fewer in number than Consumer crime but far more financially severe.
• Investment fraud combines high value with sustained impact – Representing £82.4m (25.6%), Investment crime delivers an average loss of £22k per report. In a city driven by finance, wealth management, and high-return opportunities, this category reflects the scale of financial trust being exploited.
• Consumer crime is high volume but lower loss per incident – While Consumer fraud generates £65.7m (20.4%), the average loss per report sits at £4k. This reinforces its role as a widespread, everyday exposure rather than a single catastrophic event.
• Public Sector and Corporate reports are low in number but high in severity – Public Sector losses total £1.8m, yet average £52k per report, the highest loss per incident in the dataset. Corporate incidents show £12.2k per report, highlighting how organisational breaches often carry concentrated financial impact.
• Cyber Dependent crime shows technical compromise doesn’t always mean financial scale – Despite accounting for over a fifth of reports in the volume data, losses here total just £2.2m (0.7%), with an average of £239 per report. This suggests many incidents involve disruption, access compromise, or remediation costs rather than immediate large-scale financial theft.

London Cyber Crime Statistics for Individuals

Crime Types

By report volume

Insights for Individual Report Volume

• Consumer fraud overwhelmingly affects individuals in London – At 40.9% of reports (15.4k), consumer crime is the dominant threat facing residents. High online purchasing, digital banking, and social media use create constant exposure to everyday scams.
• Cyber dependent crime is the second most reported category among individuals – Representing 23.2% (8.7k reports), hacking, account compromise, and malware incidents show that individuals are not just victims of persuasion-based scams but also technical intrusion.
• Advance fee fraud remains a persistent individual risk – At 18.3% (6.9k reports), advance fee scams continue to exploit urgency and opportunity. These crimes rely heavily on emotional triggers rather than technical sophistication.
• Banking fraud is lower in volume but financially severe – Although only 7.2% of reports (2.7k), banking-related incidents often involve significant financial loss. This aligns with the headline figure of £160m in total losses, with an average £48.6k loss per report, indicating high-value individual exposure.
• Corporate and public sector crime rarely involve individuals directly – Corporate (0.7%) and Public Sector (0%) reporting is minimal within the individual dataset, reinforcing that most London residents are impacted through consumer, banking, and investment-related channels rather than organisational breaches.

By financial losses

Insights for Individual Financial Losses

• Investment fraud causes the greatest financial harm to individuals – At £78.4m (48.6% of total losses), investment scams account for nearly half of all individual financial damage. With an average £21.5k loss per report, this category reflects high-value trust being exploited.
• Consumer fraud is widespread and financially significant – Generating £46.2m (28.7%), consumer crime combines high volume with moderate loss per incident (£3k per report). While individual cases may appear smaller, the cumulative impact across London is substantial.
• Advance fee scams continue to extract meaningful sums – At £19.1m (11.8%), advance fee fraud remains financially damaging. Despite a relatively modest £2.8k average loss per report, the persistence of these scams keeps overall losses elevated.
• Banking fraud has lower overall losses but higher severity per victim – Although accounting for £16.6m (10.3%), the average loss sits at £6.1k per report, indicating that banking incidents often involve larger immediate financial impact for affected individuals.
• Cyber dependent and corporate incidents show low direct financial impact for individuals – Cyber dependent crime totals £586.9k (0.4%), with an average loss of just £67 per report, suggesting many cases involve disruption rather than direct theft. Corporate-related incidents affecting individuals remain minimal in financial terms.

Age Demographics

By report volume

Insights for Report Volume via Age Demographics

• Cyber crime primarily affects working-age adults in London – Individuals aged 20–39 account for 45.3% of all reports (17.1k combined), making this the most exposed group. High digital activity, online transactions, and professional reliance on technology drive sustained exposure.
• People aged 40–49 remain significantly impacted – At 18.8% of reports (7.1k), this group represents a substantial share of incidents. Financial responsibility, online banking use, and active investment behaviour increase vulnerability.
• Incidents decline steadily after age 50, but risk remains meaningful – Ages 50–59 account for 13.9%, and 60–69 for 9.6% of reports. While lower than younger cohorts, these groups often face scams involving pensions, savings, and investment opportunities.
• Younger teenagers are increasingly exposed – The 10–19 age group represents 4.2% (1.6k reports), highlighting growing online exposure through social media, gaming, and digital payments.
• Very young and very elderly reports are low in volume – Ages 0–9 (0.2%), 90–99 (0.2%), and 100+ (0%) show minimal reporting. However, lower volume may reflect reporting patterns rather than absence of risk.

By financial losses

Insights for Financial Losses via Age Demographics

• Financial impact peaks in the 40–59 age range – Individuals aged 40–49 account for £33.4m (20.7%), while 50–59 account for £29.6m (18.4%) of total losses. This reflects peak earning years, higher disposable income, and greater exposure to investment and financial scams.
• Loss severity increases steadily with age – While younger groups report more incidents, the average loss per report rises from £2.4k (20–29) to £6.3k (60–69) and £8.3k (70–79). Financial exposure intensifies as savings, pensions, and accumulated assets grow.
• Older individuals experience the highest loss per incident – The 90–99 age group shows £20k per report, the highest severity in the dataset. Although volume is low, the financial impact per victim is disproportionately large.
• Younger adults experience high volume but lower financial impact per case – Ages 20–39 account for over 30% of total losses combined, yet average losses per report remain comparatively modest (£2.4k–£3.4k). Exposure is frequent, but financial reserves may be lower.
• Very young groups show minimal financial exposure – Ages 0–9 and 10–19 account for under 1% of total losses combined, with low average loss values. However, growing digital access suggests future exposure risk as online activity increases.

London Cyber Crime Statistics for Organisations

Crime Types

By report volume

Insights for Organisational Report Volume

• Banking fraud dominates organisational reporting in London – At 43.1% of reports (1.4k), banking-related crime is the primary threat facing organisations. In a city where high-value payments move quickly, financial manipulation remains the most targeted vulnerability.
• Consumer-related crime also significantly impacts organisations – Representing 37.5% (1.2k reports), consumer crime affecting businesses highlights exposure through customer transactions, ecommerce platforms, and payment processing environments.
• Cyber dependent crime remains a meaningful operational risk – At 12.5% (413 reports), hacking, ransomware, and system compromise continue to affect London organisations. While lower in volume than financial fraud, the disruption risk can be substantial.
• Corporate incidents are limited in volume but strategically sensitive – With 93 reports (2.8%), corporate-targeted crime may appear small numerically, but these cases often involve internal compromise, supplier fraud, or executive impersonation.
• Advance fee and public sector incidents are minimal in reporting – Advance fee accounts for just 0.3%, and Public Sector 0.8%, suggesting most organisational exposure centres around banking, consumer transactions, and technical compromise rather than classic fee-based scams.

By financial losses

Insights for Organisational Financial Losses

• Banking fraud overwhelmingly drives organisational financial loss – At £129.4m (80.6% of total losses), banking-related crime accounts for the vast majority of financial damage. With an average £90.8k loss per report, incidents are both high-value and operationally disruptive.
• Consumer-related crime carries meaningful cumulative impact – Generating £19.5m (12.2%), consumer-linked fraud affecting organisations reflects exposure through customer payments and ecommerce systems. The average £15.8k loss per report highlights steady financial leakage rather than isolated catastrophic events.
• Corporate incidents are low in volume but high in severity – Although accounting for just 2.6% of losses (£4.1m), corporate-targeted crime averages £44.1k per report. Executive impersonation, supplier fraud, and internal compromise likely drive concentrated financial damage.
• Public Sector and Investment incidents show high loss per case – Public Sector losses total £1.7m, with an average £63k per report, while Investment-related cases average £40.4k per report. Even limited incidents can result in significant financial exposure.
• Cyber dependent crime shows lower direct financial impact but potential operational cost – At £1.6m (1%), cyber dependent incidents appear financially smaller. However, the average £3.9k per report likely understates wider operational, remediation, and reputational costs not fully captured in reported financial loss.

Business Types

By report volume

Insights for Organisational Report Volume via Business Types

• Limited companies account for the majority of organisational reports – At 61.3% of reports (2k), Limited businesses represent the largest exposure group. This reflects the dominant business structure in London’s SME landscape.
• PLCs represent a significant secondary concentration – With 21.5% of reports (709), publicly listed companies show meaningful exposure. Larger transaction volumes, supply chains, and financial movement increase attack surface.
• Charities experience notable reporting levels despite smaller representation – At 4.4% (146 reports), charities face measurable cyber exposure. Donation platforms, public trust, and online fundraising create targeted risk.
• Sole traders and LLPs show lower reporting but remain exposed – Sole traders (2.1%) and LLPs (1.5%) account for smaller proportions of incidents. However, lower reporting does not necessarily indicate lower vulnerability, particularly where financial controls may be limited.
• Partnerships and “Other” entities form a minor but visible segment – Partnerships (0.7%) and Other business types (5.8%) contribute to overall exposure. Diverse structures and varying governance standards can create inconsistent cyber resilience.

By financial losses

Insights for Organisational Financial Losses via Business Types

• Limited companies bear the overwhelming financial impact – At £144m (89.7% of total losses), Limited businesses account for nearly all organisational financial damage. With an average £71.1k per report, incidents are both frequent and financially severe.
• PLCs experience significant exposure despite lower volume – Generating £10.4m (6.5%), publicly listed companies show notable financial loss. While fewer in number, the average £14.7k per report reflects material operational impact.
• LLPs and Partnerships show high loss severity relative to volume – LLPs average £28k per report, and Partnerships £20.4k per report, indicating that even limited incidents can result in meaningful financial damage.
• Charities face measurable financial exposure – With £1.6m in losses (1%), charities show an average £11k per report, highlighting the financial consequences of fraud targeting public trust and donation platforms.
• Sole traders and ‘Other’ entities show lower aggregate losses but remain vulnerable – Sole traders account for £146.7k (0.1%), and Other business types £1.6m (1%), with more modest average losses per case. However, smaller entities may face proportionally greater business disruption from even moderate incidents.

About The Data - London Cyber Crime Statistics

Based on a rolling 12 months of data from Report Fraud.

Data is provided by the following police forces: City of London and the Metropolitan Police.

The London cyber crime statistics data is extracted from the NFIB Fraud and Cyber Crime dashboard between 01/01/2025 and 31/12/2025.

Only 'cyber-enabled' fraud and cyber crime offences amounting to a crime under the Home Office Crime Recording rules are included.

Cyber-enabled crimes are traditional crimes, which can be increased in their scale or reach by use of computers, computer networks or other forms of IT.

Information reports and crimes reported directly from partner agencies and industry are not included at this time and will account for differences to Office for National Statistics figures for fraud offences in the same period.

For more information relating to different types of fraud and cyber crime please see the A-Z of fraud section on the Report Fraud website.

Limitations

London cyber crime statistics data is based on victim selection during the reporting process and this has not been verified.

Losses are based on loss amounts as reported in Report Fraud recorded crimes and these have not been verified. Where possible, efforts have been made to review losses reported in excess of £500k but further investigation may be required to determine if loss amounts are a true reflection of the financial impact of the reported crime.

Extreme outliers have been removed to limit data skew.

Crime Types

See crime type definitions in the main cyber crime stats article.

Regional Breakdown

Below is a list of regions that our cyber crime research is broken down into:

• London
• South East
• South West
• North West
• North East
• East
• East Midlands
• West Midlands
• Yorkshire & Humber
• Scotland
• Wales
• Northern Ireland

Further Reading

For more information about London cyber crime statistics, take a look at the following sources:

• Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025 - UK Gov
• National Cyber Security Centre
• Office for National Statistics