UK Urges Passkey Adoption After Surge in Account Takeover Fraud

The UK's Report Fraud service launched a campaign urging users to switch to passkeys after losses from email and social media account hacks rose to £6.3m ($8.3m) in 2025/6 from £1.2m a year earlier, with reports up 34%. Scammers most often impersonate family and friends or sell fake tickets.

• Account takeover losses rose from £1.2m to £6.3m year over year
• Reports of this fraud type increased by 34%
• Passkeys are tied to a device and resist phishing
• Only 16% of Brits know how to store passwords safely