New research released by the ONS has found a substantial increase in fraud and computer scams over the last two years, especially for ‘advance fee fraud’ – where victims are promised a significant share of a large sum of money, in return for a small up-front payment.
Fraud offences increased by 25% (to 4.5 million offences), with most scams being cyber related. Computer misuse increased by 89%, driven by a large increase in unauthorised access to personal information.
Lottie – a later living marketplace – has also found a recent rise in online scams targeting the over 55’s. Over the last 12 months, online searches for those looking for support after falling victim to pension and investment scams has surged:
- 133% increase in online searches on Google for ‘can someone steal your pension?’
- 50% increase in online searches on Google for ‘investment scam’ and 23% increase for ‘pension fraud’
- 40% increase in online searches on Google for ‘reporting pension fraud’
- 33% increase in online searches on Google for ‘computer fraud’ and ‘state pension scams’
As a business owner or HR lead, it’s important to protect your team against fraud by raising awareness of suspicious behaviour, the signs of scams and what to do if you fall victim. You must encourage your team to open up if they fall for a scam – as it can be a huge relief. Your business should openly support any employees who have been scammed; whether that’s through practical,…
