TL;DR: On 8 September 2026, Take Five to Stop Fraud published research showing that British courtesy can make people vulnerable to fraud. 53% of UK adults had stayed on an unwanted call longer than they wanted, and £92.4 million was stolen through impersonation scams in the past year, part of £1.28 billion in total UK fraud losses.

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What the research found

According to Take Five to Stop Fraud, 32% of adults worried it would seem impolite to end conversations quickly, and 27% feel uncomfortable ending unexpected calls early. 26% hesitate to question people claiming to be from banks, police or utility companies, and 93% were raised to be courteous to strangers.

The findings accompany a campaign called 'The Art of Impoliteness', fronted by Craig Revel Horwood.

Why it matters

Fraudsters rely on keeping you talking. The longer a call runs, the more chance they have to build pressure and extract details or money.

How to protect yourself

Our pages on how to protect elderly parents from phone scams, grandparent scams versus digital arrest and the fake Action Fraud recovery scam show the scripts used on older relatives.

Turning courtesy into a habit of checking

The research suggests the problem is social, not technical. Most people know scams exist, yet 26% still hesitate to question someone claiming to be from a bank, the police or a utility firm. Take Five's advice is to treat verification as normal rather than rude: end the call, then contact the organisation yourself using details you already trust. A genuine caller will understand. A criminal will push you to stay on the line, and that pressure is itself a sign that something is wrong. The same research found that 93% of people were raised to be courteous to strangers, which is a virtue in daily life and an opening for a caller who is trained to exploit it. Practising a short, firm phrase in advance, such as 'I will call you back on the official number', makes it easier to use under pressure.

Where to report

Report scams to Report Fraud (Action Fraud) (reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040) and see Take Five to Stop Fraud for the Stop, Challenge, Protect advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What proportion stay on unwanted calls?

Take Five found 53% of UK adults stayed on an unwanted call longer than they wanted.

How much did impersonation scams cost?

£92.4 million in the past year, within £1.28 billion of total UK fraud losses.

Is it rude to hang up?

Take Five's message is that you have the right to stop and think, and to hang up and verify through trusted contact details.

What is the campaign called?

'The Art of Impoliteness', fronted by Craig Revel Horwood.

Sources

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