UK consumers are being urged to check their bank statements for stealthy transactions that may be quietly siphoning funds from their accounts. Recent research highlights a widespread issue, with many unaware they’ve been enrolled into ongoing payments through misleading subscriptions and deceptive online sales.
The warning comes as the National Trading Standards (NTS) reveals the increasing threat posed by so-called “silent scams”, a term used to describe the accumulation of small, often overlooked charges that can persist for months undetected. These scams rely on minimal sums going unnoticed, but collectively they are costing UK households millions.
Hidden Traps behind Everyday Purchases
More than 20 million adults in the UK have unwittingly signed up for a subscription, according to National Trading Standards. Out of these, approximately 4.7 million are still making payments for services they never knowingly agreed to. These charges often originate from “subscription traps”, which involve consumers being automatically enrolled into regular payments after a single purchase or free trial.
According to Louise Baxter, who leads the scams team at NTS, “Criminals are draining UK bank accounts one small payment at a time.” She explained that victims may not always recognise the deception, especially when it takes the form of a seemingly harmless purchase or trial offer. “It might be a subscription you never agreed to or a product that wasn’t what it seemed,” Baxter added.
The deceptive nature of these scams means that many go unreported. Research from NTS found that most people only consider reporting a scam if their financial loss exceeds £143. Nearly one in five victims chose not to report the fraud because the amount taken seemed too small to justify alerting the authorities.
Further data from the same study reveals that 38 percent of individuals have subscribed to a service unknowingly, and nearly a quarter of them (23 percent) are still paying for it without realising. Additionally, 17 percent admitted they didn’t realise money was being taken until much later, while 8 percent took over three months to notice.
Widespread Impact and Public Response
Aside from subscriptions, consumers have also been targeted through misleading online sales. According to the NTS research, 44 percent of participants said they had received goods that were either fake or of poor quality, reinforcing concerns that many scams are hiding in plain sight.
What makes these scams particularly difficult to counter is their subtlety. Because the charges are often small and recurring, many victims remain unaware for extended periods, allowing the fraud to continue unchecked. The cumulative effect is significant, eroding trust in online transactions and weakening public confidence in digital services.
In response, National Trading Standards has launched a mobile app designed to help people stay informed and vigilant. The app offers real-time scam alerts, practical advice, and access to prevention tools directly from users’ phones. It also includes scam-awareness training, aiming to help individuals recognise and report suspicious activity before it causes damage.
Victims of scams or anyone who suspects fraudulent activity is encouraged to contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133 or report it to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk. Baxter stressed the importance of speaking up: “If we stay silent, the criminals win.”
