Scams  

Identity theft most common financial scam reported

Identity theft most common financial scam reported
(Andrea Piacquadio/ Pexels)

The most common way to target people's finances in 2023-24 was through identity theft, data from the Money and Pensions Service showed. 

The government-backed service said almost three quarters of people felt more confident spotting financial scams after getting pension guidance from its MoneyHelper service. 

Charlotte Jackson, head of guidance services at Maps, said: “It’s wonderful to see the real difference that our pension guidance can have on people’s lives. 

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"Sadly, financial crimes and scams are rife and it’s awful to see so much money being lost, but hopefully our appointments can give people more security and understanding when it comes to dealing with them in the future."

Figures from the last financial year showed from the 833 people who contacted the Maps' dedicated line for financial crime more than £13.6mn had been lost.

The most common way to target people's finances was through identity theft, responsible for 16 per cent of incidents. 

Bank account scams and cyber currency investment fraud accounted for 14 per cent each, while 9 per cent was to do with authorised push payment fraud.

The Money and Pensions Service also found 81 per cent of those who had phone calls with its pension guidance service felt more in control of their financial situation. 

A 75-year-old supported by Pension Wise said the service relieved stress when they were suffering from sleepless nights. 

They said: "Not only do I feel better I also know where to go to find out about what to do next."

Overall, 87 per cent of customers that accessed pensions guidance said they would recommend the service to others. 

tara.o'connor@ft.com

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