According to a study from NatWest1, seven in 10 people have been targeted by scams over the last 12 months. Vulnerabilities brought on by cost-of-living challenges have likely contributed to the high numbers.
Sadly, 13% of people have fallen prey to such scams, which are growing in both number and sophistication – targeting young and old – no one is immune.
Avoid, avoid, avoid
To avoid a scam, you’ve first got to know what you’re looking for. So, here’s a list of the most common scams used over the past year and the proportion of people who were targeted:
- Phishing scams (37%)
Fake emails or calls from organisations purporting to be from legitimate companies, asking you to provide personal or private data.
- Trusted organisation scams (21%)
Criminals contact their victims pretending to be trusted organisations such as HMRC, the police or their bank, saying there’s something wrong with their account, they need to pay a fine, or similar.
- Refund scams (13%)
Similar to the above, but the criminals instead use a potential refund or rebate to tempt victims into sharing personal or banking information.
Other scams include messages purporting to be from friends/family asking for money (12%), get rich quick scams (12%) and purchase scams (9%).
Keep yourself (and your money) safe
Staying vigilant and keeping your guard up around unsolicited calls and messages is key to protecting yourself from scams. Remember:
• If something seems too good to be true, it probably is
• Your bank will never ask you to disclose your full PIN or password
• Don’t respond to unsolicited calls, emails or texts, or open links if you feel suspicious
• We’re always here to help if you’re ever unsure about something.
Always be alert to the risk of fraud – double check any details to ensure people or organisations are who you think they are.
Stay vigilant, protect yourself – knowledge is power.
1NatWest, 2023