A new report by Ofcom shows that 90% of people have come across scams or fraud online, and almost half of them have engaged with these scams. The report looks at people's attitudes and perceptions towards online fraud and scams. The article advises readers on how to protect themselves against scammers and provides key findings from the report.
Ofcom conducted a survey and interviewed victims to identify key findings about online scams and fraud in the UK. It found that almost nine in 10 adult internet users have encountered content online that they believed to be a scam or fraud, while almost half of adult internet users have personally been drawn into engaging in online scams or frauds. A quarter of those who encountered online scams lost money, with the most commonly reported scams being impersonation, counterfeit goods, investment, pension or ‘get rich quick’ scams, and computer software service fraud. The report identified four stages of a typical scam, including engagement, the hook, engagement techniques, and the financial transaction. Ofcom urged victims to report scams and fraud to their banks and Action Fraud, and provided tips to stay safe when browsing the internet.
Sources: Which? (16 Mar 2023)
Ofcom - Scale and impact of online fraud revealed (16 Mar 2023)
Ofcom - Online fraud - how to protect yourself (16 Mar 2023)
