The NCA/NFB campaign is aimed at accounts payable professionals and finance personnel in the construction industry, where invoice fraud costs businesses millions of pounds every year.
Invoice fraud is one of the most common and costly forms of financial crime affecting individuals, families and businesses, the NCA says.聽聽The construction industry is especially vulnerable because it relies on complex supply chains, frequent high value payments and reliance on email to communicate payment instructions that criminals can compromise.
Invoice fraud happens when criminals deceive individuals and businesses into paying fake invoices or diverting a genuine payment into accounts controlled by fraudsters. Fraudsters can impersonate suppliers, intercept emails or send convincing invoices to generate immediate payments into their own accounts. The aim is to manipulate victims into transferring funds to the fraudsters instead of their legitimate destination.
Figures released by Report Fraud reveal that in September 2025 alone, invoice fraud victims lost a total of 拢3,908,086 from 83 cases, averaging more than 拢47,000 per case. Invoice fraud accounted for 85% of all Payment Diversion Fraud losses in September 2025.
The campaign provides practical guidance on identifying and preventing fraud, including:
- Check for any changes to invoice details, bank details or if you are being pressed for an urgent payment.
- Verify by calling the genuine supplier on a previously used phone number before you transfer money, as emails can be intercepted or diverted.
- Never transfer money until you are satisfied the details are correct.
The NCA and NFB have an information sheet on invoice fraud that can be found .
Nick Sharp, deputy director of fraud at the NCA鈥檚 National Economic Crime Centre (NECC), said: 鈥淚nvoice fraud is one of the highest harm types of fraud experienced by victims and it has a huge impact on those who become a victim. Businesses can be destroyed by a loss of cashflow from a fraudulent payment, families and livelihoods are at serious risk of collapse if fraudsters are successful. By providing the correct information to those in a position to thwart the fraudsters鈥� efforts, we can stop the worst examples of invoice fraud in their tracks. That is why the NCA is actively targeting and disrupting the criminal networks behind invoice fraud through investigations and intelligence sharing with international partners. However, prevention remains equally as important as disruptions.
鈥淭his campaign is a vital part of our strategy 鈥� by raising awareness and strengthening defences within the construction sector, we can significantly reduce opportunities for criminals to succeed.鈥�
National Federation of Builders deputy chief executive James Butcher added: 鈥淐ollaboration and education are key to stopping fraudsters and we are proud to stand behind an initiative that helps strengthen resilience across the construction industry.鈥�