TSB warns of spike in purchase fraud ahead of festive shopping season, as bank ups calls to social media firms

• Purchase fraud up 11% year on year and accounts for nearly two-thirds (63%) of all bank transfer TSB fraud cases
• Fraud victims lose over £450 on average to scams
• Scammers target pet lovers, with pet deposits making this year’s list of most scammed items as an emerging threat
• Social media sites continue to be fraud hotspots
• TSB calls for action from social media platforms to protect consumers and pay towards the fraud losses their platforms enable

With Black Friday and Christmas shopping season looming, TSB is urging consumers to remain vigilant to purchase fraud, as cases spike by 11 percent.

New TSB data¹ reveals that purchase scams now account for 63% of all bank transfer fraud cases reported by its customers – up from 52% in 2024.

The bank also recorded an 11% year-on-year increase in the volumes of purchase fraud cases between January and September 2025, with victims losing an average of £452 per scam.

Purchase fraud is a key driver of fraud cases across the banking sector, as UK Finance fraud data² recently revealed that purchase scams account for 72 percent of all fraud cases, and at a cost of £53 million in the first half of this year.

TSB is renewing its call for social media companies to take urgent action - specifically, with the introduction of secure payment platforms to allow consumers to pay safely. Unlike traditional bank transfers, which rely heavily on trust and can leave victims vulnerable to scammers who vanish after receiving payment.

Social media fuels purchase fraud

Social media platforms continue to be the origin of the vast majority purchase fraud with scammers advertising fake listings of popular or hard-to-find items.

Facebook accounts for three-fifths (60%)³ of all TSB purchase fraud cases, followed by Instagram (12%), WhatsApp (11%), Snapchat and Tik Tok (5%), X (4%), Gumtree (2%) and Telegram (1%).

2025’s most scammed items

TSB’s fraud team has identified the top 10 targeted items in TSB reported purchase scams this year – highlighting a spike in pet fraud:

• Concert tickets
• Football tickets
• Clothing – especially trainers
• Children’s toys
• Games consoles
• Electrical goods – phones and laptops
• Home repairs
• Pet deposits (particularly for cats and dogs)
• Vehicle deposits
• Car parts

TSB remains adamant that social media firms should be made financially liable for the fraud they enable – paying towards a payment mechanism that TSB believes would incentivise them to remove scam content from their platforms. 

Richard Daniels, Director of Fraud Prevention at TSB, said:

"As we enter the busy shopping period, scammers will also be ramping up their activity with fake listings for goods and services that simply don’t exist.

“With so much fraud coming from social media platforms, we would advise consumers to only pay for an item if you can view and verify in person – stay safe online during the sales and into Christmas.”

Notes to editors

1. TSB customer data: January – September 2025 for authorised push payment fraud compared with the same time frame last year
2. UK Finance Half Year Report 2025: www.ukfinance.org.uk/policy-and-guidance/half-year-fraud-report-2025
3. TSB customer data where the platform was recorded as part of the scam

Fraud advice from TSB’s Director of Fraud Prevention Richard Daniels:

• Too good to be true? It probably is. Be cautious of deals offering popular items that are sold out elsewhere.
• Pay by credit card, not bank transfer. Credit card payments offer the highest level of consumer protection if anything goes wrong.
• Avoid buying on social media, unless you can meet the seller in person and view the item first.
• Stick to trusted websites and platforms with secure payment options.
• Do your research. Check seller reviews and profiles carefully – no reviews or newly created accounts are red flags.

For more advice on staying safe from fraud, visit tsb.co.uk/fraud-prevention-centre.