Christmas scam warning as Brits told to be aware of buying 'non-existent items'
Brits need to be extra vigilant against fraudsters this festive season as "purchase scams" peak at the back end of the year, one bank has warned.
Data from major retail and commercial bank Natwest shows that such cons, wherein scammers sell non-existent products at discounted prices, rose by 41% in the last four months of 2022. Of 2,000 adults surveyed as part of further research commissioned by Natwest, 17% felt they are more targeted by scammers in the run up to the festive period and 44% fear one misstep could result in Christmas being ruined.
The study also found that 37 percent have been targeted by phishing scams – where they receive fraudulent emails, calls or messages from what appears to be a legitimate source asking them to provide personal or financial information.
The game aims to raise awareness about modern financial scams (Joe Pepler /PinPep / SWNS)Impersonation scams whereby fraudsters pretend to be from a trusted organisation such as HM Revenue & Customs were also common (21 percent), as was refund fraud (13 percent), which sees targets duped into believing they are due a refund and giving away personal information.
Strikingly, 42 percent of respondents admitted they either rarely or indeed never discussed fraud or financial scams at home and 25 percent reported feeling uncomfortable confiding in their family if they had been scammed and lost money. Despite the complexity and subtlety of scams improving thanks to advancements in AI technology among other factors, 57 percent blamed themselves for becoming victims.
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To raise awareness of such risks, Natwest is releasing a board game called "All Mod Cons" that challenges players to keep hold of their cash by dodging scams. The game will be available to play in select branches from December 1 and has been tested by TV presenter Jeff Brazier and his son Freddie.
Mr Brazier commented: "My favourite part of Christmas is spending time with family – amidst the holiday hustle and financial pressures, it's important to have open conversations with your loved ones about recognising scams and staying vigilant against them.
"Christmas is the season of giving, and the most valuable gift I can give my family is the knowledge of how to safeguard themselves from scams and to help ensure their financial security. The board game itself is the perfect way to combine the Christmas tradition of playing board games with loved ones while offering a fun way to learn about fraud and scam prevention."
Stuart Skinner, fraud expert from NatWest, said: "The festive season is a time to spend with family having fun, but the fun can quickly end if one of you is hit by a scam. Our 'All Our Mods' campaign has been created to help increase knowledge of scams by getting people talking and learning about them, which is a major step in combating them.
"Of course, it's concerning to see the modern developments from scammers to con people out of their money. However, your bank is continually working to stay on top of the latest developments and keep you safe."
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