Three in five UK consumers reportedly fear falling victim to fraud, as life gets busier in September. This, according to an update from UK Finance.
UK Finance notes in a blog post that half of the people say “they feel busier when coming back from a holiday.”
UK Finance also revealed in the update that “almost a third (31%) of people have received scam attempts this summer.”
Take Five to Stop Fraud is warning the public “to stay alert to fraud as the common ’back to the grind’ feeling in September could make them more susceptible to fraud.”
Post-holiday busyness in September can sometimes “mean their focus is shifted to multiple things, heightening the risk of missing fraudulent attempts.”
New data from the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign “has found that half of people (50%) say they feel busier when coming back from a holiday.”
A third said that being busy makes them “more likely to take a chance on a cheap deal or financial offer (34%) and were also more likely to lose focus or fail to check the details of a communication they receive (46%), all of which could potentially put them at risk of fraud.”
Three in five people (59%) state that they “are concerned about falling victim to fraud with almost a third of people (31%) reporting to have received an attempted scam over the summer, with one in eight people (12%) receiving two or more.”
Paul Maskall from the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign said that people get busy and become susceptible to fraud. Maskall added that criminals are experts in pretending to be someone else.
“My best tip is to follow the advice of the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign and stop and think if someone asks for your money or personal information.”
Revealing the importance of finding time “to stop with friends and family, the research revealed respondents felt most comfortable speaking to a spouse (41%) or a friend (27%) about unexpected requests for money or personal information.”
To support this, Take Five is hosting a series of three pop-up events “where people are encouraged to take a moment to stop and think.”
The pop-ups in busy spots in London, Manchester and Glasgow invite people to use mind-reading technology to pour a drink.
To do so effectively, they will be challenged “to take a moment, clear their mind and focus on what’s in front of them, showing the power of stopping and thinking.”
Renowned trickster Harry Clark, winner of the TV show The Traitors, will “be at the London event at King’s Cross station to give tips to the public on how to avoid falling for scams.
To help people stay safe, the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign advice is to:
- STOP: Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.
- CHALLENGE: Could it be fake? It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
- PROTECT: Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud.
Research conducted by Censuswide between 16th and 19th August 2024, “polling 3,000 UK based adults.”
Censuswide abides by and employs “members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles.”
Take Five to Stop Fraud is a national campaign that “offers straightforward and impartial advice to help everyone protect themselves from preventable financial fraud.”
Take Five is run by UK Finance.
UK Finance is the collective voice for “the banking and finance industry. Representing more than 300 firms across the industry, it acts to enhance competitiveness, support customers and facilitate innovation.”
