UK Finance’s Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign is raising awareness among the over-65s with a new ‘scam bingo’ game.
The UK has experienced a significant increase in authorised push payment (APP) fraud in recent years, with losses rising 39% in 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. Victims of this type of fraud are losing an average of £1,381.
Research conducted for the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign reveals that while 87% of those over 65 are confident in their ability to identify fraud signs, only 20% are familiar with all five leading types of APP fraud. Despite this confidence, over half of respondents in the age group indicate they always verify the legitimacy of requests for money or personal information.
Nevertheless, criminals persist in targeting seniors. Notably, 37% of those over 65 believe they have been approached with a purchase scam, where a criminal persuades someone to buy non-existent goods or services. Additionally, a quarter have encountered investment scams, and 32% have experienced advanced fee scams—where individuals are led to believe they must pay an upfront fee in exchange for a prize, service, high-value goods, or loans that never materialize.
More than a third of respondents feel that email is the most common method through which criminals approach them, while over a fifth think phone calls are most likely. Surprisingly, only 7% believe text messages are the primary avenue for fraudsters, despite this being a prevalent means of contact for many scams.
In response to this growing issue, the campaign has launched a free-to-play Scam Bingo game designed to educate players about the most common fraud types. The game is accessible on the Take Five website, and Age UK has partnered with the campaign to host bingo events in various cities across the country.
Katy Worobec, Managing Director of Economic Crime at UK Finance, states, "While research indicates that over-65s feel confident in identifying fraud, it’s essential to recognize the evolving tactics criminals employ to appear legitimate. That’s why we’ve created Scam Bingo—to empower people to question unexpected requests for their information. It’s a fun way to engage and learn how to protect themselves from fraud and scams."