Young adults are being targeted by impersonation scams: how to stay safe

Nearly half of young adults have been targeted by impersonation scams, according to new figures from UK Finance.

The trade association, which represents banks and building societies, found that just over half of those targeted had shared personal information or made a payment to a fraudster.

The findings come as part of UK Finance's 'Take Five to Stop Fraud' campaign. 

Read on to find out more about how impersonation scams work and for advice on staying safe. 

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What are impersonation scams?

Impersonation scams are common - UK Finance says it received 45,000 reports in 2022, with losses of £178m.

These scams usually start with a criminal contacting you by email, text message or phone claiming to be from a trusted organisation.

For example, we often receive reports of fake HMRC emails that ask recipients to update their account details to pay tax or receive a refund.

These scams are designed to obtain your personal and financial details, either to scam you now or further down the line.

Criminals often piggyback onto financial events, such as the end of the tax year or deadlines for cost-of-living support payments. 

• Find out more: the latest scam alerts from Which?

Young adults most confident of spotting scams

UK Finance's research found that young adults were the group most confident of spotting an impersonation scam.

90% of respondents aged 18-24 said they were confident they would be able to spot a fake request for personal information online - but complacency could put people at risk of falling victim.  

Only 27% of young adults said they always take steps to check if an organisation or person can be trusted if they receive a message out of the blue.

This figure rises to 60% of over 55s, who were far more cautious about unexpected messages.

• Find out more: the most common scams of 2023

Signs of an impersonation scam

1. You are contacted unexpectedly with an urgent request for you to take action. 
2. The message links out to a website that asks you to enter your details. The page might look genuine, but the URL doesn't match the organisation's official website. 
3. In cases of email scams, you receive an email claiming to be from a company, but the sender's email address doesn't look right.
4. A family member or friend messages you asking for financial assistance without warning. 
5. Somebody contacts you telling you that your bank account has been compromised and you need to take action. 

How to stay safe from impersonation scams

• Phone scams: never disclose financial information over the phone. If you're suspicious, end the call. If you receive a call claiming to be from your bank, hang up and call back using the number on the back of your card. Alternatively, call 159 to ensure you're put through to a genuine customer service line. If someone asks you to download software onto your device, hang up immediately.
• Email scams: if you receive a message from a company asking you to take action, don't click on any links. Check the sender's email address - this can be a giveaway sign of a scam. Navigate to the organisation's website and log in to your account that way.
• Text message and WhatsApp scams: don't follow links from unsolicited messages or reply to the messages. Contact the organisation directly using the details on its website.
• WhatsApp and social media message scams: if you receive a suspicious-looking message from a friend or family member, don't respond or click on any links. Get in touch with the person using a different method. 

What to do if you fall victim

If you've entered your details on a dodgy website, change your password on any relevant accounts.

If you've given away your bank details, call your bank immediately and explain what's happened. Provide as much detail as possible so it can investigate.

In instances where you've lost money and your bank won't reimburse you, follow the steps in our guide on what to do if you've fallen for a scam.