CIFAS Fraudscape analysis
Fraudscape 2025 — CIFAS Statistics
421,000 fraud cases filed to the National Fraud Database in 2024 — a record high and a 13% increase on 2023. Here's what the data means for CIFAS marker challenges.
Cases filed in 2024
Year-on-year increase
2 minutes
Prevented fraud losses
CIFAS National Fraud Database case overview 2024
A record 421,000 cases were filed to the NFD in 2024. Identity fraud remains the largest category, but Misuse of Facility — the most commonly disputed marker type — holds steady at 74,247 cases.
| Case type | 2024 | 2023 | Change | % of NFD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identity Fraud | 249,417 | 237,682 | +5% | 59% |
| Facility Takeover | 74,256 | 42,091 | +76% | 18% |
| Misuse of Facility | 74,247 | 73,444 | +1% | 18% |
| False Application | 21,708 | 19,820 | +10% | 5% |
| Asset Conversion | 730 | 670 | +9% | 0.2% |
| False Insurance Claim | 644 | 453 | +42% | 0.2% |
Source: CIFAS Fraudscape 2025 report. fraudscape.co.uk
Misuse of Facility CIFAS markers — 74,247 cases in 2024
Misuse of Facility is the most commonly challenged CIFAS marker type. 68% of cases involve personal bank accounts filed for “funds received — conduct unexplained”, “payment fraud”, and “retaining wrongful credit”.
Involve personal bank accounts
Rise in company account misuse
Suspected money mule cases
What this means for marker challenges: Many Misuse of Facility markers are filed against people who were unwitting victims of money mule recruitment — through Telegram job scams, social media investment schemes, and other social engineering. The Fraudscape report itself notes “regulatory concern at the criminalisation of some vulnerable young people” and acknowledges that some organisations are filing fewer cases as a result. If you were deceived into allowing your account to be used, the marker may be challengeable.
Money mule CIFAS markers by age
61% of suspected money mule cases involve people under 30. Young people are disproportionately targeted through social media recruitment — and disproportionately penalised with fraud markers.
False Application CIFAS markers — 21,708 cases in 2024
False Application cases rose 10% in 2024. 40% relate to bank accounts, with the most common filing reason being “false documents”. 80% of false applications were made via online channels — many involving brokers or third parties who submitted altered information without the applicant's knowledge.
What this means for marker challenges: If a broker, dealer, or third party submitted false information on your behalf, the False Application marker may have been filed against the wrong person. The CIFAS standard requires evidence of dishonesty — and if you provided genuine documents that a third party altered, the dishonesty is theirs, not yours.
CIFAS NFD filing trend 2019-2024
2019
364,000
2020
309,000
2021
360,000
2022
400,000
2023
374,000
2024
421,000
Record high in 2024. A new case is filed to the NFD every 2 minutes.
Our analysis: what the FOS data adds
The Fraudscape report shows how many markers are filed. Our analysis of 1,657 Financial Ombudsman decisions shows what happens when they're challenged.
CIFAS Fraudscape says
421,000 markers filed per year
Record high. Growing every year. More people affected than ever.
Our FOS analysis shows
28% of challenged markers are overturned
But 72% fail due to weak preparation. Properly structured complaints have a significantly higher success rate.
Part of the 421,000?
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