OFT Scamnesty campaign highlights scale of internet fraud

Fraudsters continue to find the internet the most fertile ground to launch increasingly successful mass-market scams, warned the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

At the launch of its 2010 Scams Awareness month, the OFT said the number of people falling victim to online scams has grown as fraudsters use increasingly sophisticated and manipulative tactics.

Snail mail letters now only account for two in 10 fraudulent attempts to con money or personal details out of people. Email is now the most popular means of targeting potential victims; 73 per cent of adults said they had received a scam email in the past year.

However, texts (12 per cent) and social-networking sites are also becoming popular with fraudsters as people become more wary of spam emails.

The OFT said losses to consumers from these frauds now total over £3.5bn a year.

From lures of huge lottery wins to messages or fake friends needing money to websites selling hard-to-get 'must have' products, approximately two million adults said they had responded to a scam in the past 12 months.

Nearly half (49 per cent) said they had lost more than £50; five per cent had lost a staggering £5,000 or more.

What people also fail to realise is that once they have responded to a scam this is not the end of the matter. People who have responded to a scam are put on a ‘sucker’s’ list to be targeted again; either by the same fraudsters or others who have bought their details.

The OFT said its research found that three in 10 adults received further correspondence from the scammer. Just over half (54 per cent) were asked to send money, and a third (36 per cent) being asked to send personal information.

The OFT said as well as raising awareness of the problem, this year’s Scams Awareness month is highlighting the emotional impact it can have on the victims .

Kevin Brennan, Consumer Minister said: "Stigma or embarrassment can wrongly make victims think they are to blame, and discourage them from reporting these crimes or seeking help.'

The Scamnesty initiative is being run in partnership with 129 local authority Trading Standards offices and people can help the authorities know the scale of the problem.

They are being asked to drop scam mailings they have received into designated 'Scamnesty' bins or boxes at local libraries and public areas across the country.

The Consumer Direct website also features an online bin where people can send suspected scam websites and emails.

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