Cyber criminals stole nearly £297,000 from older Surrey and Hampshire residents in a year

New data acquired by the charity Age UK shows Surrey Police and Hampshire Constabulary received 301 reports of cybercrime between April 2018 and March 2019, from people aged 55 and over, resulting in a total loss of £296,809.

Older people in both counties made up almost a quarter of overall number of cyber crime victims in the area over that period, with 1331 cases reported in total.

However, as it is estimated that only 3% of cybercrime is reported to authorities, the actual figures are likely to be much higher.

Cybercrime, or computer orientated crime, can take many forms but some of the most common examples are phishing, investment fraud, identity theft, fraudulent adverts, and blackmail.

This could be a handbag that never materialises, a cryptocurrency investment or an online auction site scam.

Age UK says that the problem has worsened during lockdown with more and more older people going online to work, shop and keep in touch with friends and family.

Their statistics acquired from Action Fraud also reveal older people in England and Wales were scammed out of over £2.4m during lockdown because of COVID-19 related fraud.

There were 3,162 COVID-19 related fraud and cybercrime reports made to Action Fraud between March and July this year.

701 of those reports had a victim aged 55 and over, amounting to £2.4 million in reported losses.

Age UK fear those figures are "just the tip of the iceberg."

The majority of the fraud linked to coronavirus involved online purchases for personal protective equipment (PPE), such as face masks, that never arrived.

Criminals have also been sending phishing emails and texts claiming to be from the Government, HMRC, BBC TV licencing and health bodies to convince the recipient to open links or attachments and get them to reveal personal or financial information.

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, said:

"During lockdown the majority of us relied on the internet to stay connected and we know that some older people were also encouraged to go online for the first time. That's hopefully something they have enjoyed and benefited from and will want to continue now lockdown is being eased. However, unfortunately we also know that cybercriminals were very active in exploiting the situation, seeking to con older people out of their hard-earned cash."

"Online crime is often highly sophisticated and tough to spot so anyone can be taken in, but if you are new to the internet and learned to use it in a rush, with little support, you are potentially more vulnerable to being caught out."

She said it is all too easy to become a victim:

"No one should feel ashamed to ask for help from family and friends and for all of us, whether we are experienced computer users or not, sticking to the simple online safety rules remains tremendously important. These include being on the alert at all times for the risk of a scam, not opening attachments in emails that come from an unknown source and remembering that if we are offered an online deal that looks too good to be true it almost certainly is."

"Fraud and cybercrime can have catastrophic and life changing effects, not just financially, but on older people's health and wellbeing. It can also have a massive impact on their confidence and can lead them to stopping going online altogether. "

Age UK is also calling for social media and technology firms to do more to protect their users against fraud and cybercrime. The charity says stopping fake profiles and scams ads appearing in the first place will help keep more older people safe and allow them to enjoy more of the benefits of being online with less of the worry.

AGE UK'S TOP TIPS TO AVOID ONLINE SCAMS

• Stay safe online

If you use a computer, don't open emails or attachments from people you don't know. Make sure your computer has up-to-date anti-virus software and ignore any phone calls that say your computer has a problem or a virus, as this is a scam.

• Make sure the company you are buying from online is reputable

Before you commit to buying, check the seller. Does the company have a contact number that works and a postal address, and is it a member of a trade association? Financial companies must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) - you can check at www.fca.org.uk/register or call 0800 111 6768.

• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Ignore emails offering a brilliant investment. Ignore these offers and never reply - it shows your details are active which will encourage scammers to contact you again.

• Report it

Anyone can be taken in by a scam, so don't feel embarrassed or ashamed if it happens to you. If you think you've been scammed, or you've spotted a scam contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 to report it and get help.

WHERE TO GET HELP

Older people and their families can find advice and tips on staying safe online by calling Age UK's free national Advice Line on 0800 169 65 65 (365 days a year from 8am-7pm).

You an also get advice on Age UK's website where you can find links to copies of Age UK's free, downloadable guides Avoiding scams and Staying safe.