Lloyds Bank has issued a warning after people have reported losing out on around £436.
The banking giant serves tens of millions of customers across the UK. In a new alert Lloyds is urging people to “watch out” as unsuspecting victims have been tricked into parting with their hard-earned money.
According to research from Lloyds, fraudsters are “selling” non-existent items to people on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
This type of deception is known as a purchase scam, and Lloyds reports that the most prevalent scams in 2025 involved vehicles or vehicle accessories, and ticket scams.
Liz Ziegler, Fraud Prevention Director at Lloyds, said: “We saw a surge in ticket scam reports this year, as demand for events like Glastonbury, the Oasis tour and major football fixtures were sky-high, leading people to seek out hard-to-secure tickets where they could.
“Scammers then struck through dodgy social media posts, fake websites, and online marketplaces.”
Earlier this year, Lloyds’ research discovered that over 90% of Oasis ticket scams originated on a Meta-owned platform such as Facebook or Instagram. Those who fell prey to these scams lost an average of £436 from their accounts, according to Lloyds.
The largest amount lost in a single case exceeded £1,700. In terms of percentages, Lloyds reported that driving lessons and test scams saw the biggest increase in fraud reports.
Ms Ziegler continued: “We alerted people to driving lesson and test scams earlier this year, when we started to see reports climb. With high demand for lessons and long waits for tests, people became more vulnerable to falling for fake posts on social media.
“Always use a reputable instructor and be wary of adverts on social media that are suspiciously cheap, or pressure selling with time limited offers.”
On scams to watch out for in 2026, she added: “I’m still telling everyone to watch out for ticket scams.
“As one of the top things we get fraud reports about, and with major events like the FIFA World Cup and gigs from Calvin Harris and Robbie Williams coming up, scammers will be out in force.
“Buying from authorised platforms is the only way to guarantee a genuine ticket, and if you’re approached on social media or asked to pay by bank transfer, it’s very likely to be a scam.
“I also want people to be careful when looking for help online with official documents, like visas, or passport applications. Anything offering to ‘guarantee’ documents in return for a payment, is a scam.
“Always visit official government websites for help with important documents and never follow links in unexpected emails or texts. My message remains that social media is where people are at greatest risk, as these platforms are infested with fraudsters and scam content.”
