SHUTTERSTOCK
You never thought you’d feel nostalgic for those slightly dim old-school crooks who’d knock at the door and promise to come back tomorrow to clean your gutters if you’d be so kind as to pay them £500 up front today. But modern scams are smarter: they’re more anonymous as they’re done by phone or computer, are attempted way more frequently, and they’re harder to spot.
Of our 2,889 respondents, 30% said they received scam texts, calls or emails at least once a week (6% every day), 22% received them monthly, and 34% every few months. It’s relentless, agrees campaigner Richard Emery, 72, who has helped hundreds of victims recover their money since retiring eight years ago.