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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchReport Fraud is urging people in the UK to use passkeys after reported stolen sums linked to email and social media account hacking rose to £6.3 million in 2025/26, from £1.2 million in 2024/25. The figures cover reports in that specific category—not all cybercrime or all account takeovers—and Report Fraud said the number of reports rose by 34 per cent over the same period.
What the reported figures show
Report Fraud’s campaign notice, published on 5 October 2026 and updated the following day, says reported stolen sums from email and social media account hacking reached £6.3 million in the 2025/26 financial year, compared with £1.2 million in 2024/25. The notice describes the rise in reported sums as 417 per cent. It separately reports a 34 per cent increase in the number of reports for this type of hacking. Report Fraud’s campaign notice does not state the underlying denominator, collection method or loss-verification standard, so the totals should not be treated as a complete measure of UK losses.
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Report Fraud calls account hacking the UK’s most reported form of cyber crime. It says its reports also include takeovers of gaming and streaming accounts, and the compromise of travel and online delivery accounts. The campaign asks people to secure their online accounts, with passkeys its preferred sign-in option where available.
What a passkey is—and what it protects against
A passkey is a sign-in credential used in place of a password. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recommends using one wherever the service offers it. Its security advantage is especially relevant to phishing: when a user is directed to a look-alike website, a passkey is bound to the legitimate service rather than being a password the user can type into a convincing fake page.
#1 Best Overall
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The YubiKey 5C NFC is the most versatile physical passkey, protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with popular accounts like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single YubiKey 5C NFC secures 100+ of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your YubiKey 5C NFC via USB and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC), to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required
- MOST SECURE PASSKEY: Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, Yubico OTP, OATH-TOTP/HOTP, Smart card (PIV), and OpenPGP. That means it’s versatile, working almost anywhere you need it
- PRIMARY & SPARE KEYS: Just like having a spare house key, we recommend buying two YubiKeys - one for daily use and one as a spare. That way you’ll never get locked out of your accounts
In its 23 April 2026 guidance, NCSC author Dave Chismon writes that passkeys “remove this class of attack entirely by cryptographically binding authentication to the legitimate service.” The context is phishing sites that steal passwords; it is not a claim that passkeys prevent every kind of account compromise. The NCSC explains how passkeys work and their security benefits.
Passkeys are a sign-in method, not a security product you need to buy for this campaign. NCSC’s comparison of traditional credentials and FIDO2 credentials discusses credential storage, synchronization and cross-device authentication; it does not amount to an endorsement to purchase a particular physical security key. Read the NCSC’s comparison of credential types.
Rank #2
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The Security Key C NFC is the essential physical passkey for protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts.
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single Security Key C NFC secures 100 of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more.
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your Security Key C NFC via USB-C and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC) to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required.
- TRUSTED PASSKEY TECHNOLOGY: Uses the latest passkey standards (FIDO2/WebAuthn & FIDO U2F) but does not support One-Time Passwords. For complex needs, check out the YubiKey 5 Series.
- BUILT TO LAST: Made from tough, waterproof, and crush-resistant materials. Manufactured in Sweden and programmed in the USA with the highest security standards.
Choose the strongest practical sign-in option
| Option | When to use it | Security and practical considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Passkey | Use it when the service supports passkeys. | Resists phishing that relies on tricking you into entering a password on a fake site. Check how the service handles recovery and access from your other devices. |
| Strong, unique password and 2-step verification | Use this fallback when passkeys are not offered. | Generate or store a different strong password for each service with a password manager. Turn on 2-step verification (2SV) wherever available. This adds a further sign-in check but does not make a reused password safe. |
The NCSC recommends 2SV when a service does not support passkeys. The appropriate choice also depends on whether the service supports the option and how you will recover access if you lose a device. The guidance does not endorse a specific password-manager provider.
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How to turn on a passkey
Enrollment steps and labels differ by website, app and device. Use the service’s official security settings or help pages rather than following an unsolicited message or a search ad that asks you to sign in.
Rank #3
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The YubiKey 5 NFC is the most versatile physical passkey, protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with popular accounts like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single YubiKey 5 NFC secures 100+ of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your YubiKey 5 NFC via USB and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC), to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required
- MOST SECURE PASSKEY: Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, Yubico OTP, OATH-TOTP/HOTP, Smart card (PIV), and OpenPGP. That means it’s versatile, working almost anywhere you need it
- PRIMARY & SPARE KEYS: Just like having a spare house key, we recommend buying two YubiKeys - one for daily use and one as a spare. That way you’ll never get locked out of your accounts
- Open the service’s official app or type its known web address into your browser, then sign in.
- Go to the account’s security or sign-in settings and look for “Passkeys” or an equivalent option. Consult the provider’s official help page if the setting is not obvious.
- Follow the on-screen enrollment instructions and review which device or account will store or synchronize the passkey.
- Before relying on it, check the provider’s account-recovery instructions and make sure you can regain access if your usual device is unavailable.
Secure accounts beyond the sign-in screen
Report Fraud’s campaign also recommends limiting who can see your posts and avoiding personal details that could help someone impersonate you. If a message from a friend or relative asks for money, a code or sensitive information unexpectedly, verify the request using a different route—for example, call a number you already know instead of replying to the message.
These habits address risks that a passkey alone does not. They can reduce the information available for impersonation and help you spot requests that may come from a compromised account.
Rank #4
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The Security Key NFC is the essential physical passkey for protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts.
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single Security Key NFC secures 100 of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more.
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your Security Key NFC via USB-A and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC) to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required.
- TRUSTED PASSKEY TECHNOLOGY: Uses the latest passkey standards (FIDO2/WebAuthn & FIDO U2F) but does not support One-Time Passwords. For complex needs, check out the YubiKey 5 Series.
- BUILT TO LAST: Made from tough, waterproof, and crush-resistant materials. Manufactured in Sweden and programmed in the USA with the highest security standards.
What to do if an account has been hacked
If your email or social media account is compromised, use the service’s official recovery process and follow Report Fraud’s guidance for hacked accounts. Report Fraud directs people in Scotland to report cyber crime to Police Scotland; residents elsewhere in the UK can use Report Fraud’s reporting guidance. Report Fraud’s notice links to recovery and reporting advice.
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Quick Recap
Best Value
- FIDO2 & Passkey Ready: Business-ready and FIDO2 L1 certified. This key is supported by major management suites and is ideal for both individual and enterprise deployment. Works seamlessly with Gmail, Facebook, GitHub, Dropbox, Coinbase, and more.
- Universal Connectivity (USB-A ): Features a built-in USB-A connector—simply unfold the key and plug it into your compatible PC or laptop for seamless authentication on the go.
- Dedicated Manager App: Use the Thetis Manager App for the initial hardware PIN setup. Setting the PIN on the device first ensures a smooth registration process. Once the PIN is configured, you can begin registering the key across your favorite FIDO2-compatible online services.
- Ultra-Durable & Portable: Featuring a rotating metal cover, this key is water, crush, and tamper-resistant. It fits easily on a keychain and requires no batteries or network connectivity.
- Check FIDO2 compatibility before purchase - Known limitations: ID Austria is not supported (requires FIDO2 Level 2). Windows Hello login only works with Windows Enterprise editions that support Entra ID, and NFC is NOT supported.
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