Overview
- The State of Scams in the UK report says 20% of adults lost money in the year to March, with 67% encountering a scam and 24% facing multiple attempts each week.
- Shopping or purchase fraud was the most common loss type, affecting 45% of victims, with 77% reporting to their payment provider and 47% recovering some funds.
- Millennials suffered higher average losses at £1,456.90, compared with £444.10 for Gen X, according to the research partners GASA, Cifas and Tietoevry Banking.
- Officials warn of heavy targeting across emails, calls, texts, social platforms, digital ads and marketplaces, with seasonal risk rising as Black Friday and Christmas approach.
- Experts flag impersonation, family, romance and investment scams as prevalent threats, while 34% of victims report notable mental health effects and 16% of parents say a child has been scammed.