Three UK urges caution ahead of Black Friday and Christmas as one third of Brits report falling victim to scams

Three UK urges caution ahead of Black Friday and Christmas as one third of Brits report falling victim to scams

Press release 8th November 2024 Security

As the festive season approaches with Black Friday deals and Christmas shopping on the horizon, Three UK is issuing a warning to stay vigilant against the rising number of fraudsters targeting mobile users.

Three UK is already seeing a month-on-month increase in customers reporting scam messages, with reports being up over a third during the past three months versus the previous three months. Since January 2024, Three also observed monthly reported volumes of scam messages, on average 170,000 messages more than in 2023.

Last year, Three witnessed scam activity increase threefold (300%) during the month of Black Friday compared to the monthly average from August to October 2023, the equivalent to approximately 3,467 scams reported daily.

Christmas shopping in December 2023 saw an even more alarming increase, with scam messages surging by over 5 times the normal rate (500%) equating to 171,000 more scam messages than in the previous quarter. Overall, Three's firewall systems identified and blocked more than 7.6m scam messages throughout November and December last year.

In a poll by Censuswide, commissioned by Three UK, nearly half[1] of respondents revealed they have received messages or calls they are suspicious of. As one third[2] admitted they have fallen for a scam, nearly one in five[3] have lost more than £100 as a result.

Surprisingly, younger people appear to be the most affected, with nearly half[4] of respondents aged 34 or under saying that they have fallen for a scam, compared with only 16% of those aged 55 or over.

With almost two thirds of Brits[5] on the lookout for deals this Black Friday and more than a third[6] planning to do more than half their Christmas shopping online, the risk of fraud is higher than ever. As a result, Three UK is urging people to follow its guidelines to avoid falling victim to scams:

• Remain vigilant: With one-third[7] of people saying they are expecting delivery of at least six parcels in the next month, fraudsters are increasingly using missed parcel scams to target people. The scam involves criminals sending a text or email saying a courier is attempting to deliver a parcel, but a fee needs to be paid to rearrange collection. The message will contain a link to a website or request to download an app - this will be 'spoofed' to look like it belongs to a legitimate delivery company.
• Check offers that seem too good to be true: As more than two in five Brits[8] say they have made Black Friday or Christmas purchases that seem 'too good to be true' in the past, people should remain alert. Fraudsters often target consumers with unrealistic deals . If customers think they have been the victim of a scam, they should inform their bank about the transaction and report the crime to Action Fraud.

The poll revealed Brits are on high alert when looking out for scams. with 83% of people blocking or reporting scam messages, while 78% say that they know how to spot the warning signs. If customers are suspicious of contact from an unknown number, they should remember to:

1. Never share personal information. Legitimate companies will never ask for sensitive information such as your bank details, passwords, or PINs over the phone or via SMS. If you're asked for this information, it's a red flag. Do not disclose any personal details.
2. Verify the caller's identity. If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from a trusted organisation, ask for their name, department, and a callback number. Then, verify their identity by calling the organisation's official number, which you should be able to find on their website. Do not use any contact details provided by the caller.
3. Install call blocking and SMS filtering apps. These apps can help identify and block potential spam and fraudulent contacts, reducing the risk of falling victim to scams.
4. Be wary of links in text messages. Fraudulent SMS messages often contain links to phishing websites designed to steal your information. Avoid clicking on any links in unsolicited messages. Instead, manually enter the website's address in your browser or use the official app.

The mobile network provider is reminding consumers to report a scam call by texting 7726 with the word 'CALL' followed by the scam caller's number, and report a message by clicking SPAM in the messaging application or forward message to 7726 if this option is not available on the device.

Mark Fitzgerald, Director of Finance and Fraud from Three UK said; "The British public are being increasingly savvy and will be seeking out deals over the next few months, but this also increases the risk of falling victim to fraud. At Three UK, we are doing all we can to prevent this from happening but in the event customers are targeted they should remember to follow our simple guidelines."

The rise in scams has seen Three UK block over 32 million fraudulent messages so far this year, the equivalent to 119,919 a day* and a fourfold increase on the same period in 2023. As the fight against fraud continues, Three joined Which? in a coalition representing some of the UK's biggest banks and telecoms providers to make a landmark commitment to urge the new government to make fraud a national priority. Three is also raising awareness of fraud by supporting BBC Scam Safe Week, starting 23 November 2024.

Notes:

[1] 47% of respondents said they have received messages or calls of which they were suspicious.

[2] 33% of respondents said they have fallen for a scam.

[3] 17% of respondents said they have lost more than £100 as a result of a scam.

[4] 49% of respondents aged 34 or under said that they have fallen for a scam.

[5] 65% of respondents said that they are on the lookout for deals this Black Friday.

[6] 34% of respondent said that they are planning to do more than half their Christmas shopping online.

[7] 32% of respondents said that they are expecting delivery of at least six parcels in the next month.

[8] 42% of respondents said say they have made Black Friday or Christmas purchases that seem 'too good to be true' in the past.