Individuals who fall victim to fraud possess THESE characteristics:
| Age group | % of fraud victims | Occupation | % of fraud victims | Marital status | % of fraud victims | Financial loss suffered by victims of fraud | % of fraud victims | |||
| 45-54 | 7.7 | Managerial/profess-ional occupations | 8.1 | Divorced | 7.9 | £100 – £249 | 21.8 | |||
| 55-64 | 7.3 | Intermediate occupations | 7.1 | Separated | 7.6 | £50 – £99 | 15.6 | |||
| 25-34 | 7.2 | Routine & manual occupations | 5.4 | Cohabiting | 7.0 | £20 – £49 | 15.1 | |||
| 35-44 | 7.1 | Full-time students | 5.3 | Single | 6.8 | £250 – £499 | 13.9 | |||
| 16-24 | 6.4 | Not classified | 5.2 | Married/civil partnered | 6.6 | £500 – £999 | 9.6 |
For the full data breakdown, please click here [includes number of bar visits, household characteristics etc.]
Contrary to popular belief that the elderly are more vulnerable to scams, Claims.co.uk can reveal that Gen X are the most reckless, with those aged between 45 to 54 years old (7.7%) falling victim to fraud the most! This is 2.2% more than those between 65 to 74 years old (5.5%).
Those with higher social status are more likely to be the target of scammers, with 8.1% of victims being professionals or those at managerial levels. Additionally, divorcees (7.9%) are also more susceptible to fraud than married couples (6.6%).
The most common amount of financial loss suffered by victims is revealed to be around £100 to £249 (21.8%), while the biggest loss recorded (£40,000 or more) was only suffered by 0.5% of those scammed.
Households who fall victim to fraud possess THESE characteristics:
| Structure of household | % of fraud victims | Total household income | % of fraud victims | Region | % of fraud victims | ||
| Single adult and child(ren) | 8.9 | £52,000 or more | 9.1 | South East | 8.8 | ||
| Adults and child(ren) | 7.0 | £41,600 to less than £52,000 | 8.0 | East | 8.1 | ||
| Adult(s) and no children | 6.4 | £20,800 to less than £31,200 | 7.2 | London | 7.5 | ||
| ” | ” | £31,200 to less than £41,600 | 6.5 | East Midlands | 7.2 | ||
| ” | ” | £41,600 to less than £52,000 | 8.0 | South West | 6.0 |
Claims.co.uk can also reveal that fraudsters seem to target single adults with children (8.9%) the most, with adults without kids (6.4%) being the least likely to get scammed. The wealthy are also popular targets with 9.1% of households earning £52,000 or more falling victim to fraud.
Data also shows that the South East is the most at risk of fraud, with 8.8% of respondents admitting to being scammed. This is 5% more than the North East (3.8%) and 3.4% more than the Welsh (5.4%).
Victims of cyber crime possess THESE characteristics: [For the full data breakdown, please click here]
The younger generation is found to be the most common victims of computer misuse, with online users aged between 25 to 34 years old (1.9%) being the most susceptible to cyber crime. Moreover, data also reveals that laptops (53.4%) are the most popular device targeted by cybercriminals, followed by desktop computers (31.9%) and mobile phones (7.9%).
As online scams become increasingly sophisticated, Jon Dukes, head of IT at DVAD, offered guidance on how to keep personal details safe online:
Create memorable passwords and two-factor authentication wherever possible
It is now widely accepted that using complex passwords (a mixture of standard characters, numbers, and special characters) is not as useful as using four random words. This provides better password entropy whilst making it less likely that people will write down their passwords for others to find! Adding two-factor authentication to online accounts also adds an extra layer of protection by requesting information beyond just a username and password.
Always keep your devices updated
Every electronic device (tablet, mobile phone, laptop) uses a software operating system. These operating systems regularly release software updates to help keep your device protected from viruses, and should be installed as soon as possible. This is to prevent scammers from accessing your personal information through new malware developments.
Do not open unsolicited emails
Many fraudulent transactions start with a phishing email, so avoid opening any unexpected emails – even if they look trustworthy! Links within these emails should also be ignored as they can automatically infect your device with malware. Banks, insurance companies and government bodies will not send emails asking users to confirm any of their personal information.
Install anti-virus software
All your electronic devices should have up-to-date anti-virus software installed to prevent personal information from being stolen by scammers. Anti-virus software with additional anti-spyware capabilities will also further prevent unsolicited programs from tracking your online activity, and scanning your devices for personal information such as bank details.