It’s horrible being scammed. You might feel angry, frustrated or embarrassed. But what you shouldn’t feel is alone or helpless.
Fraud, as a crime, is on the up in Scotland, increasing by 86% since 2012, according to the Scottish government’s recorded crime report (2021-2022). Other types of crime have gone down over the past 10 years, but fraud continues to increase as scammers get more sophisticated in the ways they try to part you from your money.
Fraudsters strike lucky when their targets are at their most vulnerable. But that doesn’t mean victims are necessarily vulnerable people or ‘easy prey’. We all live busy lives and are more susceptible when we are on the go or our minds are elsewhere. Money worries, or the desire to bag a ‘must-have’ item at a bargain price, can also make us easier targets.
