One in four people bombarded by scams on a daily basis – survey

One in four adults are being bombarded with scam contact on a daily basis, rising to nearly a third of over-65s, a survey has found.

Some 25% of people surveyed by YouGov said calls, texts and emails from scammers are a daily nuisance for them.

Older people were the most likely to say they receive daily scam correspondence, with 31% of those aged 65-plus agreeing, compared with 22% of 25-to-49-year-olds.

Across all age groups, two fifths (39%) of people said they receive scam contact on a weekly basis.

Recent scam messages that authorities have warned about include those related to the census, coronavirus vaccines, mobile phone companies, fake texts from delivery firms, and bogus tax rebates or penalties.

Nearly a fifth (17%) receive scam messages and calls monthly, while for just over one in 10 (11%) it happens every few months, and for 4% it is once a year or less.

Many people know someone affected or have been a victim themselves, with 11% saying this has happened to family member, and one in 10 (10%) knowing a close friend who has been tricked.

One in 12 (8%) surveyed said they have been scammed themselves.

Three quarters (76%) of people surveyed would support the idea of scam victims being reimbursed using suspected criminal funds from frozen bank accounts.

More than 1,700 people were surveyed across Britain in May.