Scams ‘are more likely’ in the afternoons

PEOPLE are most likely to be scammed in the afternoon, a survey indicates.

A survey of more than 3,000 people across the UK who have fallen victim to fraud in the past two years found 43% were scammed in the afternoon – making this the most likely time of day when people said they fell victim to fraud.

Midweek is also often a popular time for scammers to be successful, with Wednesday and Thursday being the most likely days when people said they were scammed.

A fifth (20%) of people said they had a lot on their mind when they were scammed, while one in six (15%) said they had been feeling tired, the Censuswide survey for Take Five to Stop Fraud in March and April found.

Paul Maskall, Take Five to Stop Fraud spokesperson said: “When we are worried or our mind is elsewhere it can make us more susceptible to scams, or ‘scamsceptible’. Therefore, it’s important to take a moment to stop and think whether it could be fake before parting with your money or financial and personal information.”

Nearly three in 10 (29%) people surveyed said that being the victim of fraud has had a negative impact on their mental health. A third (33%) said it had made them less trusting of people generally.

Take Five has launched a scamsceptible tool, which can give tailored advice to users.