Refund fraud could be costing UK online retailers up to £5.76 billion a year, according to research from the University of Portsmouth, funded by the UK fraud prevention trade body Cifas.
The Mapping the Online Economy of Refund Fraud report – with academics from the University of Bristol, University of Surrey and Queensland University of Technology – analyses near 500,000 posts across cybercrime forums, and the messaging services Telegram and Discord. The researchers found fraudsters have been using these channels to openly share techniques, target retailers and sell fraudulent refunds as a paid service. Some ‘refund‑as‑a‑service’ vendors were even taking up to 30 per cent of the refund value for a guaranteed outcome.
Most offenders were young males between 14 and 30, with an average age of 19. Many were students or unemployed while refund fraud frequently was linked to other crime – card fraud, identity fraud, and money laundering. Some users also showed risky behaviours while online – sharing receipts and personal details about themselves such as their names and where they lived, often with the belief they were “untouchable” and that retailers and law enforcement would not catch them. The most common refund fraud methods, according to the research, include:
- Claiming items did not arrive
- Reporting partial or empty boxes
- Using fake tracking IDs to simulate returns
- Returning substitute or counterfeit goods
- Wardrobing – where items are worn and returned
- Abusing food delivery refunds
Researchers warn that refund fraud will continue to grow without targeted public awareness – particularly aimed at young people – and stronger collaboration between retailers, police and fraud prevention specialists. They call for an industry‑wide database, like Cifas’ National Fraud Database, that enables retailers to track known offenders and share intelligence more effectively.
Prof Mark Button, pictured, Co-Director of the Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crime at Portsmouth, is one of the report’s contributors. He said: “Criminals have professionalised refund fraud and are exploiting the opportunity‑rich environment that online retail presents. Weak systems and a perception they are ‘untouchable’ have allowed this issue to scale rapidly.”
Mike Haley, CEO of Cifas, added: “Refund fraud is not harmless – it is organised, widespread and costing UK retailers billions. Those losses hit honest customers through higher prices and stricter returns. This research makes clear that we need better data and intelligence‑sharing, stronger deterrence, and far greater education to challenge the belief that this behaviour is acceptable.”
