Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and the National Federation of Builders have launched a campaign to help the construction industry combat invoice fraud, warning that the crime costs businesses millions of pounds and poses a particular threat to firms handling complex supply chains and high-value payments.

The campaign targets accounts payable staff and finance personnel in construction, a sector the agencies said is especially vulnerable because of its reliance on contractors, subcontractors, consultants, and suppliers, as well as frequent use of email to communicate payment instructions.

Invoice fraud involves criminals tricking businesses or individuals into paying fake invoices or redirecting legitimate payments into bank accounts controlled by fraudsters. According to figures released by Report Fraud and cited in the announcement, victims lost £3.9 million across 83 cases in September 2025 alone, an average of more than £47,000 per case.

The announcement said invoice fraud accounted for 85 percent of all payment-diversion fraud losses in September 2025. Report Fraud analysis for 2024/25 indicated that construction and manufacturing were the two most affected sectors, together accounting for 25 percent of cases, according to the statement.

The joint campaign urges businesses to check for changes to invoice or bank details and to be alert to pressure for urgent payment, verify requests by calling suppliers on previously used phone numbers, and never transfer money until payment details have been confirmed.

Read more from the NCA here