74% of people have been targeted by scams in the past year – survey

Nearly three-quarters (74%) of people have been targeted by scams in the past year, a survey indicates.

Six in 10 (61%) people surveyed for NatWest said they now see more digital and online scams than “real life” cons, such as bogus sellers going door-to-door.

Eight in 10 (80%) of those surveyed are also concerned that impersonation fraud may become harder to spot in the next five years because of the rise in AI (artificial intelligence).

Nearly a fifth (18%) said they had replied to a message from an impersonator in the past, initially believing it was from a friend or family member.

One in seven (13%) people surveyed also said that they had previously lost money to fraud.

Some 2,000 people across the UK were surveyed by OnePoll in September.

Researchers also compiled a list of the top 10 scams people said they had been targeted with over the past year:

1. Phishing scams.

Fake emails, calls, messages or websites that seem to be from legitimate organisations which ask you to provide personal or financial information.

2. “Trusted organisation” scams.

Criminals impersonate trusted organisations such as HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), energy companies or service providers, perhaps saying there is something wrong with your account or you owe a fine.

3. Refund scams.

Criminals impersonating trusted organisations offer bogus refunds and request personal or banking information.

4. Friend or family scams.

Messages sent to your phone or via social media claim to be someone you know asking for money urgently to pay bills.

5. “Get rich quick” scams.

Criminals claim people can make money quickly by investing in a company or goods.

6. Purchase scams.

Criminals place adverts for fake consumer goods and products online, on popular social media and even auction sites to gain money or information. Bogus offers may include games consoles, vehicles, concert and event tickets, designer clothing, pets or holidays.

7. Investment scams.

Criminals may encourage people to invest money in fake opportunities or pyramid schemes.

8. “Safe account” scams.

Criminals call pretending they are your bank or the police and that there has been fraudulent activity on your account, and to protect your funds you must move them to a new account to keep them safe.

9. Lottery cons.

Fraudsters claim someone has won a lottery prize, with a request to send over sensitive personal and/or financial information to claim it.

10. Befriending scams.

Criminals create fake accounts on social media and send connection requests, and after building up a friendship they ask for money, login information or other favours.

Stuart Skinner, head of fraud management retail banking at NatWest, said: “We continue to see scams on the rise, especially through digital and social media channels.

“With the increase in new digital tactics used by fraudsters, it’s becoming increasingly harder for consumers to spot, avoid and track.”

Mr Skinner added: “Talking about fraud with your family and friends is a good way to share information across generations and keep up to date with latest guidance.

“This is particularly important following the increase in ‘friends and family’ scams, where fraudsters impersonate a family member and ask for cash or information.”

NatWest’s Fraud Prevention Team has some tips to avoid scams:

1. Discuss scams you are targeted by or hear about with your family and friends and share information about how to spot and avoid them.

2. Scammers may ask you to lie to your bank about what a payment is for. Never mislead your bank about the reason for a payment – if you are honest, the bank will be able to help you.

3. Be vigilant when buying from social media and online marketplaces or paying for an investment you have found online. Always do your research and if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

4. Your bank, the police or other trusted organisations will never ask you to transfer money to keep it safe or ask for your full Pin, password or passcode.

5. Never respond to unsolicited calls, texts, emails or social media messages or open attachments that you feel might be suspect. They could be criminals attempting to steal your personal information.

6. Always check your payment requests are going to who you meant them to and pay attention to the scam warnings on your texts and in your banking app.

An HMRC spokesperson said: “Criminals are great pretenders. They use emails, phone calls and texts to try and dupe citizens, and often mimic government messages to make them appear authentic.

“Unexpected contacts like these should set alarm bells ringing, so take your time and check HMRC scams advice on www.gov.uk/guidance/identify-hmrc-related-scam-phone-calls-emails-and-text-messages

1. Discuss scams you are targeted by or hear about with your family and friends and share information about how to spot and avoid them.

2. Scammers may ask you to lie to your bank about what a payment is for. Never mislead your bank about the reason for a payment – if you are honest, the bank will be able to help you.

3. Be vigilant when buying from social media and online marketplaces or paying for an investment you have found online. Always do your research and if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

4. Your bank, the police or other trusted organisations will never ask you to transfer money to keep it safe or ask for your full Pin, password or passcode.

5. Never respond to unsolicited calls, texts, emails or social media messages or open attachments that you feel might be suspect. They could be criminals attempting to steal your personal information.

6. Always check your payment requests are going to who you meant them to and pay attention to the scam warnings on your texts and in your banking app.

An HMRC spokesperson said: “Criminals are great pretenders. They use emails, phone calls and texts to try and dupe citizens, and often mimic government messages to make them appear authentic.

“Unexpected contacts like these should set alarm bells ringing, so take your time and check HMRC scams advice on www.gov.uk/guidance/identify-hmrc-related-scam-phone-calls-emails-and-text-messages.

“Tax scams come in many forms. Some offer a rebate, others tell you that your tax details are out of date, or threaten immediate arrest for tax evasion. Never let yourself be rushed. If someone contacts you saying they’re HMRC, wanting you to urgently transfer money or give personal information, be on your guard. HMRC will also never ring up threatening arrest. Only criminals do that.

“To help fight these crimes, forward suspicious texts claiming to be from HMRC to 60599 and emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk. Report tax scam phone calls to us on gov.uk. You can also contact HMRC directly but only use phone numbers from our contact details on gov.uk.

“According to the National Cyber Security Centre – part of GCHQ – HMRC was the third most impersonated UK government body in 2022, behind the National Health Service and TV Licensing.”