Research indicates that approximately one in seven individuals (15%) have shared personal details with someone before discovering the caller was not legitimate.
According to a study commissioned by Nationwide Building Society, one-fifth of respondents (19%) stated they would be willing to return a call from an unknown number, a habit that could expose them to significant risk.
When participants were asked what factors would lead them to trust an unsolicited caller posing as a bank representative, 10% identified a “professional tone” as the primary reason.
Meanwhile, 14% of those surveyed said they would trust a caller who knew their full name, and 13% pointed to the caller knowing their date of birth—details that fraudsters may have harvested from other
Nationwide reports that its internal data shows the average <a Scammers are increasingly sophisticated at making unexpected calls, texts and emails appear genuine."
“They may disguise a call as coming from a trusted organisation, use personal details to gain your trust or pressure you to act quickly.”
“Many scams are <a
“They can then use those details to make future impersonation scams appear much more convincing.”
“They may also tell you what to say if your banking provider questions a payment, claiming it will speed things up. In reality, the more your banking provider knows, the better it can support and protect you.”
Actress Lisa Riley, who is involved in Nationwide’s awareness drive, said: “I provided personal information to what I believed was a genuine travel permit website. I’d completed the process many times before, so there was nothing that immediately raised alarm bells.”
“That’s what frightened me most. The website looked completely legitimate and I genuinely believed I was doing the right thing.”
“What that experience taught me is that criminals are incredibly clever and convincing.”
The survey was conducted by Censuswide, which polled 2,000 people across the UK during the month of September.
