A total of 73% of UK consumers have been targeted by scams in the past three months with one in every four falling victim to fraudsters.
Popular scams include fake tax rebates, bogus energy discounts or free holidays, with victims losing on average £581, according to information and insights company TransUnion.
Sophisticated scams have led to more than one in four (26%) falling victim, with total financial losses of £7.9bn since the beginning of May.
Read more: Scams cost victims over £1.3bn last year
Common scams include fake tax rebates that are supposedly from the government (38%), bogus energy companies offering a discount (38%), offers which claim to be from insurance companies promising a cheap deal (37%) and phoney social media competitions offering free holidays (36%).
Fake investments are also common, with scammers using sham endorsements to lure people in. More than a third (35%) of consumers have been targeted by false cryptocurrency schemes promoted on social media, with what appear to be testimonials from celebrities.
“We know fraudsters prey on our fears and worries, and the cost of living crisis is providing them with the perfect opportunity, giving rise to an abundance of scams,” Kelli Fielding, TransUnion’s managing director of consumer interactive, said.
“The average financial loss is £581, which is actually around half of what it was last year, but…
