How serious are Scams

Scams have become a "national emergency" in the UK, with approximately £11.4 billion taken from consumers in the year leading up to November 2024, marking a notable rise from past years. Fraud and cybercrime now represent over 40% of all crimes in England and Wales.

Top Scams Impacting the UK

• Online Shopping Scams (26%): Fake websites, counterfeit goods, or items that never arrive remain the most common trap.

• Investment & Cryptocurrency Scams (18%): Fraudsters use social media and fake platforms to lure victims with "get rich quick" promises.

• Impersonation Scams (16%): Criminals pose as friends, family members ("needs help" scams), banks, or government departments (HMRC) to trick victims into transferring money.

• Fake Delivery/Parcel Messages: These are highly prevalent, often involving phishing links to steal personal or financial information.

• Parking QR Code Scams: Fraudsters place fake QR stickers over real ones at car parks to steal payment details.

Key Trends and Vulnerabilities

• AI-Driven Tactics: Scammers are increasingly using Artificial Intelligence for voice cloning, making phone scams, where they pretend to be loved ones, more convincing.

• Younger Victims Rising: While older people are heavily targeted (1.9 million affected), people under 34 are almost five times more likely to fall victim to scams.

• Social Media Reliance: Over 75% of financial scams are conducted through social media platforms.

• Psychological Impact: Beyond financial losses, scams have severe mental health consequences, with many victims experiencing anxiety, depression, and, in severe cases, suicidal thoughts.

  
  

Stop and Protect Yourself

• Before purchasing online especially on social media, open a second page and search company name and reviews. Solar UK Reviews for example. Only read reviews from a site you know such as Trust Pilot. See how many people have reviewed, and how reliable they are.

• AI Voices, If you get an odd phone call and it doesn't seem right but it is from a loved one and they're asking for money desperately. You probably know their bank account number, you probably know their friends and other family members, check in. Tell them you will call them back, use a different phone and a different way of calling. For example, if they called you from their mobile, call them back via Landline to Landline, WhatsApp, Messenger etc.