18-34-Year-Olds Most Likely to Have Phone Stolen – Losing £600 on Average

 ·       Phone theft warning for festive work parties, as 15% of UK consumers have had their phone stolen in the last year, with 69% of thefts happening to 18-34-year-olds

·       After having their phone stolen, one in five (20%) have had money taken from their bank accounts, losing £600 on average

·       A further 25% had their phone number hacked, and 22% fell victim to identity theft

TransUnion, a global information and insights company, warns that festive work parties can be a hotspot for phone theft, as new research reveals that one in seven UK adults (15%) has fallen victim in the last 12 months.  

New research undertaken by OnePoll on behalf of TransUnion reveals that after having had their phone stolen, a quarter (25%) had their phone number hacked, and 22% fell victim to identity theft. One in five (20%) also had money taken from their bank accounts, losing £600 on average. Meanwhile, one in five (20%) of those lost over £1,000. 

Chad Reimers, general manager of identity and fraud at TransUnion in the UK and Europe, said: “Phones are often the keys to our finances and identities. As the work holiday party season continues, devices can be easily misplaced or stolen – left on a table while chatting or taken in a moment of distraction. Historically, phone theft has been around the handset – that is, seeking to resell the device through illegal means, often overseas. While this remains common, in recent times, the modus operandi has evolved.

“It is important for consumers to be aware that when a device is stolen, criminals can access personal information and try to hack into banking, email and social media accounts, putting consumers at potential risk of losing money or having their identity stolen. Consumers who have their phone stolen should act fast: lock or wipe the device remotely, contact their bank and mobile provider, change passwords, and monitor their credit report for signs of identity fraud.”

While just 3% of those who have had their phone stolen in the past 12 months are over 55 years old, younger adults are seemingly more at risk. Nearly seven in 10 (69%) of all phone theft victims were 18-34-year-olds, with one in 10 of those (11%) having had multiple phones stolen. This could be potentially due to younger adults being more likely to socialise in crowed areas such as bars and clubs, particularly during the festive season – with research showing that adults under the age of 45 are more likely to feel pressured into attending a social event during this time.  

Worryingly, only about half of this group recognise that phone thieves could access personal information (55%), emails (51%), or even steal their identity (46%). Awareness of risks like blackmail (35%) dropped even further.  

TransUnion’s tips to help reduce the risk – and what to do fast after a theft:

Must-dos for phone security: 
 

·       Use a strong device passcode (not birthdays or simple patterns) and enable biometrics

·       Turn on Find My/Find My Device and remote lock/wipe features

·       Enable 2-step verification on banking, email and social apps – preferably with an authenticator app

·       Store digital copies of important IDs and your phone’s IMEI somewhere secure 

 

What to do if your phone is stolen:
 

·       Lock or wipe the device remotely and mark it as lost as soon as possible

·       Contact your bank(s) immediately to freeze cards, review transactions and re-secure mobile banking

·       Notify your mobile network to block the SIM and prevent number-hijacking

·       Change passwords for email, cloud storage, and key apps from another device

·       Check your credit report frequently for unfamiliar applications or accounts – you can view your TransUnion credit report for free via Credit Karma, MoneySuperMarket Credit Monitor, or TotallyMoney

Visit TransUnion’s International Fraud Awareness Week webpage for more consumer tips and stories around fraud.

Notes:

Unless otherwise stated, all figures are from a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults aged 18+. The data was commissioned by TransUnion and conducted in October 2025 by OnePoll.

The information in this release is intended for journalists and media professionals only. The information should not be construed as a financial promotion under the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) Handbook of rules and Guidance.