CHARLOTTE – Tactics used by scammers have shifted drastically during the past several years, with scams being perpetrated online rising 87% since 2015, according to a new report published by the Better Business Bureau. During the same period, scams perpetrated by phone dropped 42%.
The new report, Start With Trust Online: BBB Online Scams Report, analyzes the changes in how scams are being perpetrated. This research paper is based on two sets of data: 1) An analysis of more than 300,000 reports submitted to BBB Scam Tracker between 2015 and 2022, and 2) survey research conducted in July 2022.
“The methods scammers use to target consumers have shifted significantly since BBB began collecting scam reports from the public in 2015,” said Melissa Lanning Trumpower, executive director of the BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, which produced the report. “The shift in scam tactics is driven by a range of factors such as the rise of social media, world events, and changes in consumer behavior.”
All scam types perpetrated online
So far in 2022, scams perpetrated online are more prevalent (55%) than other delivery methods, with a higher percentage of people losing money when targeted (75%). When breaking out scams perpetrated via phone with a monetary loss, scams perpetrated via text message rose from 11% in 2015 to 30% in 2022. Scams…
