Online shoppers being tempted into scams by the search for a bargain

The quest for an online “bargain” is making scam victims press ahead with a purchase even though they realise it may be a con, research has found.

More than a quarter of Britons have been the victim of an online marketplace scam, losing £63.76 on average in each incident, according to a report from website Gumtree.

Popular categories targeted by online fraudsters include items for sale, vehicles, jobs, services and property, the research found.

The desire to grab what looks like a cheap deal often overrides people’s instincts when shopping online, according to the survey.

More than a third of scam victims who thought an advert may be a fraud still went ahead.

The top reasons for people falling victim included that something was perceived to be a good deal, while one in five were willing to take the risk because they really wanted something.

In some cases, a fraudster appearing to be kind and trustworthy – for example, offering to travel to the victim’s home to make a transaction – lulled them into a false sense of security.

Items subject to scams tended to be slightly cheaper than others available, but not so keenly priced as to arouse suspicion – making victims think they had spotted a good deal.