Fluro reveals that south of England suffers from increased fraud

According to the research, since 2021 52,054 fraud cases were reported to London Metropolitan police force, costing consumers in Greater London (excluding City of London) a total of GBP 450.5 million. Surrey follows next as the second largest fraud hotspot in the UK with 6,456 reported cases amounting to a total loss of around GBP 40.5 million. Thames Valley ranks third with reports over a 12-month period totalling 12,246 for a total loss of GBP 77.5 million.

Prevalent types of fraud

Financial investment schemes is the top type of fraud responsible for the biggest cash loss, totalling GBP 337.9 million in 2022.

In just one year there were 14,847 reports of fraud relating to financial investment schemes, through which the public lost a total of GBP 337.9 million. Pyramid and Ponzi schemes are the second most costly type of fraud on a nationwide scale, with 3,740 cases leading to a total loss of GBP 250.4 million. Share sales and boiler room fraud round off the top three most expensive types of fraud, with losses totalling 146.7 million.

Fraud is widespread and increasing

Since 2021, the total number of fraud reports made to Action Fraud, Cifas, and UK Finance rose by 6.49%, resulting in an increase in loss of USD 20 million.

Reports of online shopping and auction fraud rose by 55.68% YoY, which might be a sign that scammers are using increasingly sophisticated schemes and a warning sign that shoppers need to take extra care when paying for goods and services online.

Tips to avoid being scammed

Fluro’s officials said that fraudsters are constantly inventing new ways to trick people, which is why it’s crucial that individuals stay up to date on the latest best practices for preventing scams. They note that there are some important steps that people should do to not get scammed.

Never give your personal information to organisations or people without confirming their credentials. Be extra cautious of unsolicited calls, texts, or emails that ask for personal or financial information like your name, address, bank details, email address, or phone number. Instead, always contact the company directly using a phone number or email address on a legitimate piece of correspondence they’ve sent you.

If a business opportunity or deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Always question letters, phone calls, or emails offering you a seemingly amazing deal out of nowhere. Trust your gut and listen to your instincts, always question it if it feels wrong.

Don’t click any link in an email asking you to confirm your bank details. If you receive an unexpected email or text from your bank, remember that they will never ask you to confirm your details by clicking a link - even if it might look genuine, fake email addresses and phone numbers can be made to mimic the official ones.

Your bank will never ask you to transfer money to a ‘safe account’. Your bank will never call you and request your OTP (one time passcode) to authorise payments, set up a new payee or register a device for online banking. Your bank will never ask you to reveal your PIN or password for online banking. Always check large credits into your bank account. Be wary of references such as ‘loan’ and contact the organisation it came from directly if you are suspicious.