Three in four UK adults targeted by scam emails & texts, study finds

New research indicates that 71% of UK adults have experienced suspected scam emails or texts, with the incidence highest among people under 25.

The findings, released by the Global Signal Exchange (GSE), suggest a significant increase in the frequency of online scams compared to the previous year. The data reflects growing concerns across a range of scam types including home delivery, HMRC payment, banking, online payment queries, prize and lottery, investment, employment, romance, cryptocurrency, and charity scams.

Increase in scams

The survey, conducted with a nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults, highlights that the frequency of UK adults experiencing suspected scam activity has risen since last year. Young people appear especially at risk, with 88% of under 25s reporting either scam emails or text messages. This age group was particularly likely to report suspected employment scams (23%), prize lottery scams (20%), and romance scams (15%). The 25-34 age group was most likely to experience attempted bank scams (24%), fine scams (21%), investment scams (20%), and charity scams (17%).

The types of suspected scams encountered in the past year include home delivery (31%), online payment queries (27%), bank scams (24%), investment scams (23%), and romance scams (17%).

Impact on individuals

Two thirds of UK adults (63%) impacted by the experience of scams report lasting effects on their wellbeing, relationships, and how they use technology. Specifically, 41% now avoid answering calls from unknown numbers, 14% report reduced confidence in conducting activities online, and 11% spend less time on the internet and social media.

For 13%, attempted scams have led to increased anxiety and sleep disturbances. One in ten reported damage to their self-esteem, often feeling ashamed or blaming themselves for falling victim to a scam. A further 10% felt unable to talk about their experience, and 3% said the incident had ended or damaged a relationship with a loved one. In addition, 11% of respondents admitted that suspected scams led them to be rude to legitimate callers, while 6% missed mortgage or bill payments due to mistakenly assuming they were engaging with scammers.

Global collaboration

"Online scams are so much more than an annoyance or an inconvenience. We are actually at a seismic tipping-point where the scale, frequency and human impact of scams on people is almost out of control – and it's becoming something far too big for individual brands, law enforcement agencies or even national governments to deal with on their own. It is time for organisations to work together and to work bigger, faster and smarter to beat the scammers at their own game - and that is the reason why we launched the Global Signal Exchange earlier this year, supported by our co-founding partners Google and the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA)."

The Global Signal Exchange, powered by Oxford Information Labs, operates as an open clearing house sharing abuse data and threat signals internationally. According to GSE, the platform tracks more than 350 million threat signals globally in real-time, enabling organisations to coordinate intervention efforts.

Tech companies including Google, Meta, and Microsoft have joined GSE, together with more than 30 other international organisations. These efforts aim to provide a coordinated and scalable response to online scam, fraud and abuse by sharing threat data, employing software capabilities, and acting at greater speed than previously possible.

"Turning the tables on the scammers is achievable but it involves businesses, governments and enforcement agencies to work much more closely together. We warmly welcome Microsoft and Meta to the Global Signal Exchange and we are excited by the significant contribution they will make in helping us all to change the narrative on crime, fraud and abuse. The level of global support for the Global Signal Exchange signifies a step-change in the fight against online crime, as we facilitate a new culture of co-operation and data sharing. A great deal has been achieved in a very short time, but more needs to be done and we invite anyone with a legitimate interest in acting against online scams to join us. Together we are stronger and together we can be the change that consumers and businesses need."

The GSE operates as a signal-agnostic and independent entity, not tied to any one sector or actor. Since launching earlier this year, the platform has rapidly grown, handling 350 million threat signals - a 775% increase since its inception.

International context

The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), which co-founded the GSE, reports that the UK's experience with scam activity is mirrored globally. In its 2024 report, GASA identified that phone calls and SMS messages remain the primary method used by scammers in multiple countries.

Additionally, in Germany, recent research indicated that 84% of scam attempts occurred on platforms with direct messaging capabilities, while in Thailand, nearly three-quarters of online abuse was perpetrated through such messaging platforms.

The evidence indicates that the risks and consequences of scams - psychological, financial, and social - are a widespread issue requiring collaborative and multi-sector efforts to address both within the UK and internationally.