Rising mortgage fraud across every reported category represents a “worrying trend” for the property market, according to Click2Check chief executive David Jones.
His warning follows the latest Cifas figures, which showed increases across mortgage application identity fraud, account takeover, false applications and misuse of facility cases in the first half of 2026.
Mortgage application identity fraud increased by 36% compared with the same period last year, while false applications rose by 4% to 691, the largest category by volume.
Account takeover cases involving mortgages rose from one in the first half of 2025 to 27 in the same period this year.
Mortgages also bucked an overall decline in misuse of facility fraud, with cases increasing from three to nine.
Jones said: “The latest Cifas fraud figures highlight a worrying trend for the property market, with mortgage fraud increasing across every category.
“Identity fraud linked to mortgage applications has increased by 36% and false mortgage applications are also continuing to climb. Perhaps the most concerning is the sharp increase in account take over cases reported by Cifas members in relation to a mortgage.
“These have risen from just one case in the first half of 2025 to 27 in the same period this year. While the numbers remain relatively small, the rate of growth demonstrates how quickly fraudsters are adapting their tactics.”
Jones said the figures reinforced the need for identity verification throughout the mortgage and homebuying process.
He added: “Criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated, using stolen or fake identities and compromised accounts to target lenders, intermediaries and consumers alike. Organisations can no longer rely on traditional document checks alone.”
Overall fraud cases reached a record high for the first six months of the year and are on course to surpass previous annual records, according to Cifas.
Jones added: “For the property sector, preventing fraud is about more than protecting lenders – it’s about safeguarding buyers, sellers and the integrity of the entire transaction.
“As fraud volumes continue to rise, investing in digital verification solutions has become an essential part of delivering a secure and efficient homebuying experience.”