It is estimated that nearly a third of cyberattacks against UK businesses go unreported to the police. Law enforcement in the UK is keen to have businesses report more cybercrime to them to get a better picture of the online criminal landscape and dedicate the right resources to combatting cybercrime.
In an emergency, the National Crime Agency recommends to always call 999. However, the UK Crown Prosecution Services recommends that if you believe you have been a victim of cyber/online crime, you should report it to the police by calling 101 or report it via the national Action Fraud website.
Where to report cybercrime in the UK
The primary place to report cybercrime in the UK is Action Fraud, which is the UK's national fraud reporting service. Victims are given a crime reference number and their case is passed on to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), which is run by the City of London's police service. However, Action Fraud is a reporting and analysis centre only, and local police forces will deal with the incident if it is referred to them.
While its public phone has regular opening hours of Monday to Friday 8 am to 8pm, Action Fraud says that any business suffering a live cyberattack should call 0300 123 2040 immediately, as this service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.