Pension liberation fraud has been named the hot topic of 2013 in The Pensions Regulator's annual review.
Also referred to as 'pension loans' and 'pension scams' the fraud has been listed number one in the organisation's summary of the year.
The regulator kicked off a multi-agency effort to raise awareness of pension liberation fraud in February.
The fraud entails a scheme member's pension savings being transferred to an arrangement that will allow them to access their funds before the age 55.
An increasing number of companies are targeting savers, the regulator said, claiming that they can help them take their pension cash early.
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But pension liberation can result in tax charges and penalties of more than half the value of a member's pension savings.
The regulator said in its summary of the year: "As increasing numbers of companies targeted savers with claims they can take their pension cash early, our 'scorpion' campaign provided tools to help members avoid the dangers of early pension release."
The 2013 review listed the regulator's new defined contribution code of practice as number two after pension scams.
Created this year, it outlined the standards expected of those who run DC schemes as the industry gears up for millions of new members under automatic enrolment.
The regulator listed its guide for new trustees and its automatic enrolment planner as third and fourth most important in the list.