Santander UK reveals scams most certainly to catch out completely different age teams

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Your assist makes all of the distinction. Learn extra A significant financial institution has recorded a soar in older adults aged 80-plus and youthful adults aged 34 and below reporting being scammed within the first three months of this 12 months.

Santander UK stated the most important improve in scams was reported by prospects aged 80 and over, up 7% on the earlier quarter, pushed by scammers impersonating banks.

It additionally recorded a 6% quarterly improve in 18 to 34-year-olds reporting falling sufferer to scams. This was pushed by criminals making faux provides of live performance tickets.

The figures had been launched as a part of the financial institution’s new quarterly “Scamtracker” – exhibiting £18.4 million was stolen from prospects within the first three months of 2025.

The overall marks a 13% lower in contrast with the earlier quarter, though the financial institution highlighted some “worrying tendencies”.

It stated impersonation scams, advance payment scams and romance/friendship scams had been the highest rising scams within the first quarter of this 12 months, collectively accounting for practically £3.5 million stolen from prospects.

The rise comes regardless of the financial institution’s analysis indicating that greater than half of customers say they're conscious of romance and friendship scams (63%) and impersonation scams (49%).

The analysis additionally discovered lower than a fifth (17%) of individuals stated they're conscious of advance payment scams – the place folks pay up-front for objects or providers that by no means materialise or are shoddy.

Within the first quarter of 2025, instances involving gig tickets accounted for greater than 10% of buy rip-off claims, as scammers prey on demand for tickets to see acts resembling Sabrina Carpenter and Coldplay, the financial institution stated.

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Go to web site The financial institution has additionally seen a quarterly improve in impersonation scams the place criminals are pretending to be from organisations apart from banks or the police, resembling HM Income and Customs (HMRC).

Individuals usually spend the beginning of the 12 months submitting self-assessment returns or coping with tax adjustments.

Chris Ainsley, head of fraud danger administration at Santander UK, stated: “Whereas a lower within the quantity stolen by scammers is welcome, £18 million is a staggering quantity to have been taken from our prospects and positioned into the legal underworld.

“Scams are evolving at breakneck velocity, which may make staying on high of the brand new ones exceptionally laborious for patrons.”

Listed below are some age breakdowns from Santander UK’s Scamtracker for the primary quarter of 2025 (some fraud stories additionally concerned accounts belonging to under-18s):

– 18 to 34 years outdated – accounted for 27% of claims. Commonest rip-off – buy scams (tickets).

– 35 to 50 years outdated – accounted for 23% of claims. Commonest rip-off – buy scams (tickets).

– 51 to 65 years outdated – accounted for 23% of claims. Commonest rip-off – buy scams (automobiles).

– 66 to 80 years outdated – accounted for 18% of claims. Commonest rip-off – impersonation (criminals pretending to be organisations apart from banks or the police, for instance HMRC)