Last week, a Chinese friend holding a Skilled Worker visa encountered the "low-price iPhone" trap on a second-hand trading platform in London - after the payment was made, the other party disappeared, the account was cancelled, and £650 was wasted. What she is most worried about is not money, but "will calling the police affect my permanent residence application?"
This concern is not an isolated case. After encountering fraud, many Chinese in the UK choose to remain silent because they are not familiar with the reporting process and are worried that "alarm records will affect their visas". In fact, not only will the victim's permanent residence be affected by calling the police, but it is a legitimate act to safeguard his own rights and help the police fight crime.
Today’s article explains the complete police/reporting process in the UK, fraud recovery channels, and the real impact on visas/permanent residence in one go.
📞 999 or 101? First figure out which number to call
The British police have two main telephone numbers: 999 for emergency and 101 for non-emergency.
999 applicable scenario (Emergency):
- A crime is ongoing, the suspect is nearby, someone's life is in danger, or they are being threatened with violence
- For example: a burglary is taking place, a robbery is taking place on the street, domestic violence is taking place, someone is injured in a traffic accident
101 Applicable scenarios (Non-Emergency):
- Report a crime that does not require immediate response, seek prevention advice, contact local police
- For example: vehicles scratched, property damaged, historical fraud reports, neighborhood disputes
💡 Common misunderstandings among Chinese people : Many people are afraid of "making the wrong number and wasting police resources." In fact, since April 2020, calling 101 has been completely free, and you don’t have to worry about the call bill; if the operator determines that your situation is an emergency, you will be immediately transferred to the 999 system.
What should I do if doesn’t understand the language?
After dialing 999 or 101, just say "Mandarin" or "Chinese" and the operator will connect to the translation service, with Chinese translation assistance throughout the process. People with hearing or speech impairments may use text phone service by dialing 18001 101.
🚨 If you encounter internet/telecom fraud, you must know Report Fraud
If you encounter cybercrime or financial fraud - such as online shopping traps, fake investments, phishing emails, bank transfer scams - do not call 999/101, but report the crime directly to Report Fraud.
Report Fraud will officially replace Action Fraud as the national fraud reporting center for England, Wales and Northern Ireland in January 2026 (reports in Scotland will still need to be made to Police Scotland on 101).
Report Fraud reporting method:
- Online report : Visit www.reportfraud.police.uk, available 24 hours a day, the process is simple and fast
- Telephone report : Dial 0300 123 2040 (Monday to Friday 8am-8pm); from overseas, dial +44 300 123 2040
- registered account or guest mode : After registration, you can log in at any time to check the progress of the case; guest mode can only receive updates by email/mail
What can Report Fraud do?
- All reports will be forwarded to the police; although information reports will not be investigated individually, they can help the police understand the scale and trends of crime.
- You can choose to pass your information on to Victim Support, a national charity, for free, confidential emotional support and practical help
⚠️ Special Situation : If your business or institution is suffering from a real-time cyber attack (cyber attack in progress), call 0300 123 2040 immediately.
💷 My bank transfer was defrauded, can I recover it? Detailed explanation of 2026 new regulations
One of the most common types of fraud that Chinese people encounter is APP fraud (Authorised Push Payment Fraud) - you are induced by the scammer to "voluntarily" transfer money to the other party's bank account, but later find out that you were deceived.
The good news is: starting from October 7, 2024, the UK will introduce mandatory refund rules, and the vast majority of APP fraud victims will be able to receive compensation.
Core points of the new regulations:
- The compensation limit is £85,000, covering more than 99% of cases; individual banks may voluntarily pay higher amounts
- Banks must issue refunds within 5 working days of receipt of the report; up to 35 days if further investigation is required
- Banks can deduct "excess" of up to £100 but cannot charge vulnerable customers
- Scope of application: Transfers within the UK via Faster Payments or CHAPS; international transfers, cryptocurrency transactions, and intra-peer transfers are not within the scope of mandatory compensation
Under what circumstances can the bank refuse compensation?
- You showed "gross negligence", such as proactively sharing your bank password and ignoring multiple fraud warnings from your bank.
- You participated in or assisted in fraud
- The reporting time exceeds 13 months after the transfer
📊 REAL NUMBERS : UK fraud losses totaled £451m in 2024, of which £267m (59%) was returned to victims via recoveries or bank chargebacks. While down slightly from 63% in 2023, refund rates are improving after the new rules are implemented.
How does operate?
- After discovering that you have been defrauded, contact your bank immediately to explain the situation and provide transfer records.
- At the same time, report the crime to Report Fraud and obtain the case number (Crime Reference Number)
- If your bank refuses or delays your claim, you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), a free, independent and impartial arbitrator