Households are currently experiencing a £693 energy bill hike and the price cap is expected to hit £3,200 by October, which will put further pressure on families. Recent research carried out by Action Fraud found that fraudsters are exploiting this hike in energy prices with many mentioning one of the ‘big six’ energy firms in their scams. Cases of these crimes have risen by 10 percent this quarter compared to the same period last year, with January seeing a 27 percent year-on-year increase alone.
Vonny Gamot, Head of Consumer EMEA at McAfee, discussed how social media platforms have “exacerbated” the proliferation of cost of living scams.
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Ms Gamot explained: “The cost of living crisis signifies a time where people are being hit by higher bills and increased costs – both of which mean they are looking to find as many ways as possible to save money.
“Social media platforms have exacerbated these scams, but it’s always been a popular channel for fraudsters. More than half of the global population uses social media, and being opportunists, they know how to use these channels to gain personal data, or trick people into revealing valuable information about themselves.
“You post updates about your life, where you live, your job and your friends on social media. All of these details are a valuable commodity to cybercriminals, and with social media shopping on the rise, financial details linked to accounts only makes it a…
