A short list of official UK websites and free helplines. Every link has been personally checked by Aidan. Nothing on this page is sponsored. Nothing takes a referral fee.
This page was last fully reviewed on 18 April 2026.
Scenario 1
Money's gone, or nearly has. These are the services to call, in this order.
Phone: 0300 123 2040· Mon–Fri 8am–8pm
The UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime. Report a scam online or by phone.
Why we trust this: This is the official service run by the City of London Police as the national lead force for fraud.
Phone: 999 or 101
Call 999 if someone is in immediate danger or a 'courier' is on the way. Call 101 for non-emergency.
Why we trust this: The UK's national police non-emergency and emergency numbers.
Phone: 159
Dial 159 any time to be connected to your own bank — a safe way to check if a call or text is really from them.
Why we trust this: Run by Stop Scams UK, a cross-industry initiative backed by most major UK banks and telecoms providers.
159 connects you to participating banks only — check the list on the Stop Scams site. If your bank isn't on it, ring the number on the back of your card instead.
Forward any suspicious email to report@phishing.gov.uk. The NCSC will investigate and take sites down.
Why we trust this: This is the UK government's Suspicious Email Reporting Service, run by the NCSC (part of GCHQ).
Step-by-step guide to getting back into an email, social media, or banking account that someone else has taken over.
Why we trust this: The National Cyber Security Centre is part of GCHQ and is the UK's official cybersecurity authority.
Phone: 0808 223 1133· Mon–Fri 9am–5pm
Free advice on consumer rights, dodgy traders, and getting your money back when something goes wrong.
Why we trust this: Citizens Advice is a registered UK charity and the official body for routing reports to Trading Standards.
Phone: 0800 678 1602· 8am–7pm, 365 days a year
Free, confidential advice for anyone over 60 — or their family — on scams, money, care and benefits.
Why we trust this: Age UK is the UK's largest registered charity working with older people.
Phone: 0808 168 9111· 24 hours, every day
Free, confidential support for anyone affected by crime — including fraud. You don't have to have reported it.
Why we trust this: Independent registered UK charity.
Phone: 0300 123 4044· Mon–Fri 8am–6pm
The front door to adult social care and safeguarding in Hertfordshire. Ring if you think someone is at risk.
Why we trust this: HertsHelp is operated by Hertfordshire County Council's adult care services.
Scenario 2
How to check that the person phoning you, or the text you've just had, is actually from your bank.
Phone: 159
Dial 159 any time to be connected to your own bank — a safe way to check if a call or text is really from them.
Why we trust this: Run by Stop Scams UK, a cross-industry initiative backed by most major UK banks and telecoms providers.
159 connects you to participating banks only — check the list on the Stop Scams site. If your bank isn't on it, ring the number on the back of your card instead.
Plain-English guides to the most common scams (romance, investment, impersonation, courier) and how to spot them.
Why we trust this: Run by UK Finance, the trade body for UK banks, in partnership with government and police.
Scenario 3
Where to report suspicious messages, and official guides to spotting them.
Plain-English guides to the most common scams (romance, investment, impersonation, courier) and how to spot them.
Why we trust this: Run by UK Finance, the trade body for UK banks, in partnership with government and police.
Forward any suspicious email to report@phishing.gov.uk. The NCSC will investigate and take sites down.
Why we trust this: This is the UK government's Suspicious Email Reporting Service, run by the NCSC (part of GCHQ).
If a text looks dodgy, forward it to 7726 (which spells SPAM). Your network will investigate for free.
Why we trust this: 7726 is the official UK short-code run by Ofcom and the mobile networks for reporting scam texts.
Regularly updated write-ups of current scams doing the rounds. Free to read; no subscription needed for alerts.
Why we trust this: Which? is the UK's largest independent consumer champion, owned by a registered charity.
Scenario 4
Services to see whether your email or passwords have appeared in a known data breach.
Type in your email address to see if it's appeared in a known data breach, and if so, which one.
Why we trust this: Run independently by security researcher Troy Hunt. Widely used by UK government, police, and NCSC as the reference source for breach data.
Things to know before you click
If you use Gmail, this walks you through every device signed into your account and lets you kick off anything you don't recognise.
Why we trust this: This is Google's own security dashboard for your account. No third-party involved.
Things to know before you click
Apple users: the equivalent is at appleid.apple.com — sign in and look under 'Devices'.
Step-by-step guide to getting back into an email, social media, or banking account that someone else has taken over.
Why we trust this: The National Cyber Security Centre is part of GCHQ and is the UK's official cybersecurity authority.
Plain-English explanation of what 2FA / two-step verification is and why to turn it on.
Why we trust this: Official guidance from the UK's National Cyber Security Centre.
Scenario 5
The single biggest thing you can do to make your online life safer. Official guidance and trusted apps.
What a password manager is, why they're safer than remembering passwords yourself, and how to pick one.
Why we trust this: Official guidance from the UK's National Cyber Security Centre.
A well-regarded password manager. Free tier covers everything most people need.
Why we trust this: Open source (the code is public and can be audited) and has passed independent security audits. Widely recommended.
A password manager that keeps everything on your own computer, with no cloud account to create.
Why we trust this: Fully open source, no company behind it trying to upsell you, and trusted by security professionals.
Things to know before you click
Scenario 6
The second-biggest thing. A second check when you log in, so a stolen password isn't enough on its own.
Plain-English explanation of what 2FA / two-step verification is and why to turn it on.
Why we trust this: Official guidance from the UK's National Cyber Security Centre.
Scenario 7
If you've met someone online and something feels off. It's one of the biggest scam categories and nothing to be embarrassed about.
Phone: 0300 123 2040· Mon–Fri 8am–8pm
The UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime. Report a scam online or by phone.
Why we trust this: This is the official service run by the City of London Police as the national lead force for fraud.
Plain-English guides to the most common scams (romance, investment, impersonation, courier) and how to spot them.
Why we trust this: Run by UK Finance, the trade body for UK banks, in partnership with government and police.
Scenario 8
Spotting fake shops, buying second-hand safely, and your rights when something goes wrong.
Phone: 0300 123 2040· Mon–Fri 8am–8pm
The UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime. Report a scam online or by phone.
Why we trust this: This is the official service run by the City of London Police as the national lead force for fraud.
Phone: 0808 223 1133· Mon–Fri 9am–5pm
Free advice on consumer rights, dodgy traders, and getting your money back when something goes wrong.
Why we trust this: Citizens Advice is a registered UK charity and the official body for routing reports to Trading Standards.
Regularly updated write-ups of current scams doing the rounds. Free to read; no subscription needed for alerts.
Why we trust this: Which? is the UK's largest independent consumer champion, owned by a registered charity.
Scenario 9
Why updates matter, and how to turn them on so you don't have to remember.
Short, plain-English explanation of why the update prompts are worth clicking yes to.
Why we trust this: Official UK government guidance.
Scenario 10
So a broken phone, a lost laptop, or ransomware doesn't wipe out years of memories.
How to set up backups so a broken phone or ransomware doesn't cost you your photos.
Why we trust this: Official UK government guidance.
Scenario 12
Cutting down the sales calls and spam texts that come through every week.
If a text looks dodgy, forward it to 7726 (which spells SPAM). Your network will investigate for free.
Why we trust this: 7726 is the official UK short-code run by Ofcom and the mobile networks for reporting scam texts.
Phone: 0345 070 0707
Register your landline or mobile for free. It's illegal for most UK sales companies to cold-call a number on the TPS.
Why we trust this: The TPS is the official UK opt-out register for unsolicited sales calls, run under Ofcom regulation.
Takes around 28 days to become fully effective. Won't stop all calls — scammers based overseas ignore it — but cuts the legitimate cold-call volume sharply.
Official guidance on blocking calls, reporting spam, and what your rights are.
Why we trust this: Ofcom is the UK's independent communications regulator.
Scenario 13
Helplines you can ring for honest, free advice on money, scams, care, and benefits.
Phone: 0808 223 1133· Mon–Fri 9am–5pm
Free advice on consumer rights, dodgy traders, and getting your money back when something goes wrong.
Why we trust this: Citizens Advice is a registered UK charity and the official body for routing reports to Trading Standards.
Phone: 0800 678 1602· 8am–7pm, 365 days a year
Free, confidential advice for anyone over 60 — or their family — on scams, money, care and benefits.
Why we trust this: Age UK is the UK's largest registered charity working with older people.
Phone: 0808 808 8141· Mon–Fri 9am–5pm
The UK charity dedicated to the abuse of older people — including financial abuse by a relative, partner, or carer.
Why we trust this: Registered UK charity, the only national charity solely focused on elder abuse.
Scenario 14
Being scammed is a crime, and it can knock people sideways. These services are free and confidential.
Phone: 116 123· 24 hours, every day
Free confidential listening service. Call any time of day or night, about anything.
Why we trust this: Registered UK charity since 1953.
Phone: 0808 168 9111· 24 hours, every day
Free, confidential support for anyone affected by crime — including fraud. You don't have to have reported it.
Why we trust this: Independent registered UK charity.
Phone: 0300 123 3393· Mon–Fri 9am–6pm
Information and support for anyone experiencing a mental health problem.
Why we trust this: Registered UK mental health charity.
Scenario 15
If the person you're worried about is a relative, friend, or neighbour. Start here.
Phone: 0800 678 1602· 8am–7pm, 365 days a year
Free, confidential advice for anyone over 60 — or their family — on scams, money, care and benefits.
Why we trust this: Age UK is the UK's largest registered charity working with older people.
Phone: 0808 808 8141· Mon–Fri 9am–5pm
The UK charity dedicated to the abuse of older people — including financial abuse by a relative, partner, or carer.
Why we trust this: Registered UK charity, the only national charity solely focused on elder abuse.
Phone: 0300 123 4044· Mon–Fri 8am–6pm
The front door to adult social care and safeguarding in Hertfordshire. Ring if you think someone is at risk.
Why we trust this: HertsHelp is operated by Hertfordshire County Council's adult care services.
Free 20-minute online training that helps you spot the signs a friend or relative is being scammed.
Why we trust this: Run by National Trading Standards Scams Team — the national body coordinating scam-victim protection across the UK.
How this page stays current
Every entry is reviewed on a 90-day cycle. If you see an amber “not checked in over 90 days” warning on a card, the link is still there but hasn’t been verified recently — treat it with extra care until we have.
29 links across 15scenarios. No referral fees. No sponsored placements. No affiliate tracking. If that ever changes we’ll say so at the top of the page.
For more on why this page exists and what we do with scam disclosures in sessions, see our safeguarding policy.