The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey for 2024/25 shows a record 11.5% of adults – around 529,000 people – were victims of at least one online fraud during the year. Many victims have been conned out of significant sums, with around 28,000 losing £1,000 or more, including just over 6,000 who each lost more than £5,000, according to the survey.
In the past two years, the Cyber & Fraud Centre has received reports of fraud worth £30 million and has helped return £1.9 million to victims. Advice Direct Scotland reports a sharp rise in online scams, with at least £860,000 lost to cybercriminals in 2024/25. Scams include fake notifications about unauthorised purchases, such as expensive phones, designed to trick victims into sharing personal or banking details, and schemes involving downloading malicious software that exposes sensitive information.
Experts warn that cyber-fraud is one of the fastest-growing areas of criminal activity. Jude McCorry, chief executive of Scotland’s Cyber & Fraud Centre, said: “Online scams, especially ones using AI, voice cloning and deepfake video, can be extremely sophisticated and convincing.” She noted a surge in cases where people are tricked by online adverts falsely showing Martin Lewis. Consumer guru Martin Lewis said: “If it’s an ad with me in, it’s always a scam, as I don’t do adverts.” An Advice Direct Scotland spokesperson added: “It can be easy to get caught out, especially if a call or email seems urgent and official.”