According to data from the City of London police’s 'Report Fraud' service, financial losses linked to the hijacking of social media and email accounts have increased by over 400% year-over-year. The total amount reported stolen reached £6.3 million in the 2025-26 financial year, a significant jump from the £1.2 million reported in 2024-25.

Authorities indicate that a primary tactic involves criminals gaining unauthorized access to an individual's account and then impersonating the account holder. Once they have control, the scammers target the victim's contacts, often by offering fake tickets to high-demand events, such as sold-out concerts. Because the messages appear to come from a trusted friend or family member, victims are more likely to bypass traditional security skepticism and send money for fraudulent purchases.

While the data highlights the scale of the financial impact, it also underscores a shift in how digital fraud is executed, moving away from generic phishing toward highly personalized social engineering. The City of London police service serves as the primary repository for these reports, though the data reflects only those incidents that were formally reported, suggesting the actual financial impact on the public may be higher than the recorded £6.3 million.