80% of people ‘worried about older friends and relatives being scammed online’

Four-fifths (80%) of people are worried about older friends and family being scammed online, with some believing that bank closures could push more over-65s towards fraudsters.

Bank closures have ratcheted up concerns, with 61% of people surveyed for Virgin Media O2 saying they are forcing older people to rely on online services, putting them at greater risk of running into scammers.

The research quoted a 74-year-old woman who was pressured into buying Bitcoin after seeing a deepfake video giving the false impression of involving Holly Willoughby.

She said: “I was persuaded by what looked like a genuine opportunity, but it turned into a nightmare. The scammers were clever and convincing, calling me every day and pressuring me to put in more money. In the end, I lost around £20,000 of my savings (some of which she got back).”

The woman added: “If something doesn’t feel right, stop, speak to someone you trust, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

Ahead of digital inclusion campaign Get Online Week (October 20 to 26) Virgin Media O2 said it is launching free “scam school” sessions across the UK, delivered in partnership with Good Things Foundation.

The sessions, being advertised locally and on Virgin Media O2’s website, are designed to help people with low digital confidence, helping them to spot and stop scams and providing advice to get additional support to stay safe online.

Murray Mackenzie, director of fraud prevention at Virgin Media O2, said: “Scammers are becoming ever more convincing and anyone can fall victim. From fake investment opportunities to messages claiming to be from trusted banks or delivery companies, fraudsters are always changing their tactics.”

The research was conducted by Censuswide among more than 3,000 people across the UK in September and October.