Number of Scam Call Victims Almost Hits 45 Million

In the last three months, around 45 million UK citizens received scam calls or text messages.

A Rise in Numbers

In September, a UK survey of 2,000 adults showed that text scams are targeting people aged between 16 and 34. In contrast, scammers prefer to trick the elderly via landlines.

Moreover, such criminals managed to mislead more than a million people. And the number of victims is close to 45 million just in the UK.

Ofcom's networks and communications group director, Lindsey Fussell addressed the issue: “Stay alert to any unsolicited contact. Put the phone down if you have any suspicion that it is a scam call, and don't click on any links in text messages you're unsure about."

Protection Measures

There are several ways that a person can protect themselves.

For example, UK citizens can forward suspicious text messages to 7726 (the numbers on the keypad spell SPAM) if they feel targeted or have fallen victims to a scam. Unfortunately, most people are not aware of this option.

A reverse phone search can also bring good results - there are numerous dedicated services. 

And of course, as Fussell advised, staying alert is vital.