Over 65s receive six times more calls from scammers and spammers than their own grandchildren

• Over 65s receive on average 295^[1] suspicious or cold calls per year - compared to just 50 calls from their grandchildren
• 5.7 million Brits have been targeted by a mobile phone scammer ten or more times^[2], and more than a third (36%) have lost money as a result^[3]
• But it’s not just the older generation at risk - with middle-aged Brits (aged 35-54) most likely to lose a larger sum of money as a result of a phone scam, costing victims £1,826 on average^[4]
• Harold Richardson, 75 from Kent, was targeted by a phone scam last summer which ended up costing him £4,000 in total
• Uswitch has partnered with older person’s charity Re-engage to help protect the elderly against scams and is urging all consumers to use the Stop, Check and Call Back method to handle fraudulent calls

Mobile phone scams continue to be a widespread issue, with 5.7 million Brits targeted by a mobile phone scammer ten or more times^[2], according to new research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.

The older generation is the most concerned about receiving messages from unknown numbers^[5], which is unsurprising as those aged 65+ receive on average 295 cold and potentially suspicious calls a year^[1]. For grandparents, this is six times the number of calls they receive from their grandchildren, and for parents, more than twice the number of calls they receive from their adult children^[6].

More than a third (36%) of Brits say they have lost money due to a mobile phone scam^[3].

Despite what’s commonly believed, it’s not just older Brits who are being impacted. Adults in the 35-55 age group are the most likely to lose the largest amount of money as a result of phone fraud, costing them an average of £1,826^[4] compared to the national average of £1,371^[7].

The most common mobile and online scams Brits are targeted by include business impersonation scams (68%), bank impersonation scams (57%) and investment scams (50%)^[8]. 

Despite the frequency of attempts and sophisticated tactics of scammers, there is still a stigma attached to being the victim of a scam. Those aged 65+ experience this stigma the most, with two-thirds (66%) saying they would feel embarrassed if taken in by one.^[9]

Harold Richardson, 75 from Kent, was targeted by a phone scam last summer which ended up costing him £4,000 in total: “In July last year I received a call from someone pretending to be from Microsoft who informed me that my computer had malware installed and that they needed access to fix it.

“They were very convincing, playing on a common issue to get me to grant them access to my computer, which gave them access to all of my personal information, including email passwords and online banking details.

“The scam cost me £4,000 in total, most of which I did eventually get back, however, this took a lot of time and energy and caused me a great deal of anxiety and stress.”

Following research revealing more than a third (34%) of Brits^[10] admit they could ‘do more’ to help their older relatives stay safe from scammers, Uswitch has partnered with Re-engage, a charity that tackles isolation and loneliness among older people. Working with Re-engage and its volunteers, Uswitch experts have shared their advice to help educate older people on scams and how to stay protected.

Re-engage CEO Jenny Willott adds: “Fraudsters often target older adults who may be socially isolated, and it’s upsetting to see so many of those aged 65 and older have been targeted by a mobile phone scam ten or more times.

“While the financial impact of scams can be great, there is also a significant emotional cost. Suspicious calls and scam attempts can cause distress and anxiety, and the stigma around being a victim of fraud means many people are embarrassed to speak up.

“Through our partnership with Uswitch, we will share information on spotting the latest types of scams, along with advice on staying protected with our older people. By sharing this with our volunteers and the older adults we support through our services, we can help minimise the impact scams have on lonely older people.”

Simrat Sharma, mobiles expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “Scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, from AI voice cloning to video deepfakes, making it more difficult than ever for consumers to spot them and stay protected.

“People of all ages should be vigilant when answering unexpected calls and never share personal or financial information over the phone if you do not know the caller. 

“If you have any doubts regarding a call, our advice is to ‘Stop, Check and Call Back’. 

“Stop’ is a reminder - no matter how urgent the caller says it is - you can still hang up and offer to call them back to be sure of who you are speaking to. ‘Check’ means take a moment to check on the situation, look up an official number for the person or business, and ‘Call Back’ the official number and ask if the situation is legitimate. Businesses, friends and family won’t mind if you need to do this to protect yourself.

“We know people often feel embarrassed to talk about their experiences with fraud, however reporting scams to your network or Action Fraud will flag certain numbers and potentially disable future scams for others.

“There are also lots of existing services that are free and easy to access and can help keep you protected. For example, many providers offer call-screening technologies which prevent suspicious calls from reaching you. 

“We hope through our partnership with Re-engage we can make a real difference in the fight against scams, and keep our most vulnerable friends and family protected from criminals as well as ourselves.”

For more information on how to avoid scam calls, check out our guide on Uswitch.com

ENDS