Hope launch of new fraud reporting service will lead to better victim outcomes

Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones is hoping the new Report Fraud service puts victims at the forefront of its work.

It comes as latest figures show there were nearly 12,000 reports of fraud and cybercrime in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight between October 2024 and October 2025.

That resulted in over £150m in reported losses.

Report Fraud replaces Action Fraud as the new national platform for reporting cybercrime and fraud.

It aims to make is easier and quicker for people and businesses to tell police if they’ve fallen victim.

Unlike its predecessor, Report Fraud has also been designed so that it collects evidence for police investigations.

PCC Donna Jones said: “Cybercrime and fraud have fast become the most common crimes in the UK, costing our economy billions of pounds every year.

“Action Fraud was not fit for purpose so I am hoping Report Fraud rectifies that.

“This new national service will give police forces improved access to higher-quality crime intelligence enabling them to swiftly disrupt and catch and prosecute these unscrupulous hackers and criminal gangs.

“Thousands of people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have fallen foul through multiple means including dating scams, online shopping, ticket fraud or having their social media, emails and businesses hacked.

“But incredibly that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Many people and organisations don’t report incidents due to concerns over reputational damage or the simple fact they don’t think the perpetrator will get caught.

“Cyberattacks can happen to anyone, so I would encourage everyone to remain vigilant, take steps to ensure passwords are secure, use two-factor authentication and report all incidents of cybercrime to police.

“It can have a huge impact on victims and they deserve to receive the best support and outcomes possible.”

In November, the PCC held a business-focused cyber event where she funded website security assessments through the South East Cyber Resilience centre for organisations who fall victim of cybercrime. Funding is available until April 30 2028.

Members of the public can report cybercrime and fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

If you’re an organisation under live cyber-attack, you’re advised to call to enable specialist teams to take swift action.

For more information about the Report Fraud service, visit reportfraud.police.uk