Revealed: The UK’s most vulnerable groups for fraud attacks

• Fraud related crime rates in the UK increased by 52% in the past year.
• 45 to 54-year-olds are the most targeted age group for fraud related crimes
• London is the most targeted region in the UK, with 87,246 fraud related crimes being reported to local authorities from March 2020 to March 2021.
• Cleveland is the most at risk area in the UK, were 1.95% of all residents have reported fraud related crimes in the past year.

Fraud related crime rates have risen by 52% over the past year according to new research, with 10.2% of those questioned in 2021 stating that they had been a victim of fraud.

New analysis of Crime Survey for England and Wales carried out by personal data and protection experts VPN Overview found that over the past three years fraud accounted for 69.3% of all personal crime reported through the Crime Survey.

The study found that the most targeted age group was those from 45 to 54 years of age, with 9.9% of those interviewed in the age group reporting to have been victims of fraud. The least affected group was found to be those over the age of 75, with only 5% of participants in the age group reporting fraud related crimes in the past three years.

Data collected through March 2020 to March 2021 showed that 45 to 54-year-olds again reported the highest amount of fraud related crimes out of those interviewed, with 11.8% of participants in this age group reporting fraud. The fewest reports of fraud was in the 75+ age group, with only 5.9% of those interviewed reporting to have been victims of fraud.

ONS data collected from police records on criminal activity found that London reported the highest total number of fraudulent crimes in the UK, 87,246. However, when population size is factored in, 0.97% of the total population reported crimes, a lower rate than other areas.

The analysis of police force reports found that 1.95% of all Cleveland residents had been victims of fraud in the past year, suggesting that this is the most targeted area per capita in the UK. Northumbria was the lowest recorded area for fraud in the UK, with only 0.49% of the 1,400,000+ residents reporting fraud related crime in the past year. Interestingly, both of these police force areas are based in the North East.

In the South West, Avon and Somerset were ranked most at risk, with the highest number of recorded fraud related criminal offences, 1.87% of the population. This also ranks Avon and Somerset the second most at risk area in the UK. Gloucestershire was found to be the safest for fraud related crimes in the South West, with 0.67% of the population reporting fraud to the local authorities.

The most at risk area in the East is Cambridgeshire, where 0.9% of the population had reported fraud to the local authorities in the past year. Suffolk had the fewest reports of fraud in the East, with 0.57% of residents reporting to have been victims of fraud.

A spokesperson for VPN Overview commented: “Fraudulent activity is on the rise in the UK. New schemes and tactics to trick those most vulnerable can often result in financial losses pushing into the thousands per victim. Prevention of fraudulent activity should be of the highest priority to protect those most at risk and educate the population to prevent serious losses or harm.”

The analysis was conducted by VPN Overview, cybersecurity experts dedicated to helping internet users feel safer and protected online.