Scotland’s Cyber and Fraud Hub is relaunching its guide to help older residents stay vigilant to online scams, after alarming stats from Age Scotland revealed over 400,000 seniors living in Scotland have been targeted.

Originally produced by the Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland, A Guide to Avoiding Fraud and Scams for Older People is designed to help older people avoid scams and highlights some of the most common forms of fraud and cybercrime, and will be distributed through local community networks as well as being available online. 

The guide aims to empower older adults to navigate the digital landscape safely and securely, and provides insights into common online scams, identifies red flags to watch out for, and outlines steps to take in case of suspected fraud.

Among the crimes warned about are common scam and fraud attempts affecting older people particularly, including telephone scams, banking scams, WhatsApp family and friends impersonation scams, parcel delivery scams, and investment and pension scams.  

Alex Dowall, head of fraud and cyber at the Cyber and Fraud Hub, said: “We understand that our older residents are less likely to access online and social media platforms, so we are encouraging people to have a conversation about our guide with their older friends, family and neighbours to empower them to be as vigilant as possible against fraud and scam attempts.” 

The relaunched guide comes on the back of fresh research from Santander UK, showing that one in five (21%) UK adults have been victims of fraudsters in the last three years, adding up to more than 10 million people, losing an average of over £900 each.

The bank’s survey, It’s a Fraudster’s World, spans 15 countries and 28,000 respondents, and found that £168 billion had fallen into the hands of fraudsters worldwide between 2021 and 2023, with a cost to the wider UK economy alone of around £16 billion.

Beyond the financial loss, 40% of people reported feeling less trusting of others after being targeted by fraudsters, 12% reduced their use of the internet and communication technology as a result, and 10% said falling for fraud had impacted their personal relationships.

To combat what Santander calls a ‘fraudemic’ sweeping the globe, the report stresses the need for greater international coordination on counter-fraud efforts given fraudsters’ ability to act across international boundaries and claim UK victims.

Recommended reading

• Fraud and Scam Complaints On the Rise
• Hackers Have Stolen More Than £1BN in Crypto Already This Year
• Zumo Survey Reveals Young Adults’ Crypto Concerns Ahead of Election

“Despite the best efforts of banks and policymakers, the criminal gangs who sit behind fraud are enriching themselves to the tune of billions and costing the global economy hundreds of billions,” said Stephen White, COO at Santander UK.

“The UK is in a prime position to lead this charge, but we need renewed focus on tackling the fraudemic across Government, banks, and the global technology and communication companies that connect criminals with potential victims.”