According to recent research, the total amount of money it costs a fraudster\u2019s victim to get help with their wellbeing after being scammed is \u00a39.3 billion a year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This unwanted financial burden is equivalent to \u00a32,509 per annum for each victim. However, the total monetary impact can be much higher for those who experience online scams.<\/p>\n
A typical financial hit to an individual is around \u00a3600, reveals the research.<\/p>\n
With this high price to pay, many victims of fraudsters spoke about their wellbeing aftermath, which led to suffering from anxiety and even physical ill-health.<\/p>\n
The research, which included 17,000 responses to an Office for National Statistics Crime Survey, suggested \u201cscam victims faced a drop in life satisfaction, significantly higher levels of anxiety, and lower levels of happiness. It was also associated with people self-reporting worse general health, although to a much smaller degree.\u201d<\/p>\n
How can I protect myself?<\/strong><\/p>\n If you receive, for example, a phone call from your bank, the police, a Government department, or another trusted source requesting personal or banking details, do not assume it is genuine.<\/p>\n Give yourself time to check the organisation\u2019s phone number by looking at a bill, letter, bank statement or calling the organisation using the details you are familiar with to check whether what you have been told is genuine.<\/p>\n