Security News > 2021 > September > Brits open doors for tech-enabled fraudsters because they 'don't want to seem rude'

Brits are too polite to tell phone scammers to "Get stuffed", "Take a hike" or "Sling yer 'ook" when they impersonate so-called "Trusted organisations" such as banks.

That's according to the trade association UK Finance, which found that the number of "Impersonation scam cases" more than doubled in the first half of 2021 to 33,115 - up from 14,947 during the same period last year.

The industry body reckons these particular frauds - whether by text, email, or voice calls - have duped "Even the savviest" punters out of almost £200m over the last year or so and all because people "Don't want to seem rude."

Its "Take Five" national campaign is designed to raise awareness amid warnings that fraudsters target people's emotional weaknesses to trick them.

Unveiling a new SMS Best Practice guide for businesses - backed by organisations including Mobile UK, the trade association for the UK's mobile network operators, Concha said that businesses "Must play their part to protect people from scams."

Last month, a London student was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court to 22 months in prison for sending scam text messages purporting to be from a range of organisations including Royal Mail, HMRC, banks and mobile phone providers.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2021/09/14/too_polite_brits_scammed/