It’s one of those questions that’s good to debate because there is never any definite answer, like the pros and cons of doing manned guarding in-house or outsourcing; is the older generation, or the young, more at risk of being scammed online? A survey by market research agency, 3Gem for a cyber firm suggests that while many Brits have become more savvy when it comes to security, many of us are taking unnecessary risks – particularly the younger generation.
In the covid pandemic, many embraced online banking, services, and retail for the first time. And while these platforms allowed us to go about our lives and remain connected with loved ones, it also meant being mindful of online risk, says McAfee, as more than a quarter (27pc) of us fell victim to a scam over the last 12 months.
As we have tried to stay connected to friends and family throughout lockdown, social media accounted for the biggest share of scams at 40pc. And for that reason, a majority of Brits (52pc) view this as the most risky activity when using online services, and of those people who have knowingly clicked on a harmful link, nearly three in ten (29pc) have done so on social media. These scams are particularly common among millennials – nearly half of 25-44 year olds (48pc) who have experienced a scam have done so via social media.
Staying with social media, a fifth (22pc) of us are taking unnecessary risks, claiming to rarely check the security settings on social media, while 11pc regularly share their location on social media posts and stories, with a further 4pc admitting to sharing photos of their home or address details, with the risk of being a target for bad actors.
Retail (26pc) and banking (27pc) were the most common areas where Brits experienced scams. Utilities and services were also a popular target for scammers – 16pc of those scammed fell to a fake TV licence or HMRC refund, while 13pc were scammed while managing utilities online.
As for digital hygiene, a quarter (25pc) don’t check the source of a link shared by a friend or family member, while 18pc say that they would always trust links appearing to be from well-known businesses. As a result, over a fifth (22pc) have knowingly clicked on a harmful link, exposing themselves to malware being installed on their device, with over a third (38pc) claiming to have received a dodgy link via email, with 28pc being exposed via SMS, and 23pc on a messaging platform.
Brits appear to be becoming more security savvy. Some 45pc use secure payment platforms such as PayPal and Apple Pay – rising to over half in the over 55s, while good password hygiene is on the up, with 39pc using two-factor authentication, 31pc using a secure password manager, and nearly a fifth (19pc) using a random password generator, all of which can significantly reduce the risk of being a target, the firm comments. Research also shows that Brits are getting increasingly savvy about the dark web – over half (54pc) are aware that this is a space where cybercriminals can share passwords or personal details – making good password safety that much more important.
Still, a minority, 17pc uses the same password across all accounts (jumping to 31pc among 18 to 24 year olds), with a further 20pc sharing log-in details with their partner.
And as for the generations, Gen Z (18 to 24 year-olds) are four times as likely to fall victim to a scam than an over 65 (42pc versus 10pc). However while youngsters are more likely than most to be hacked when browsing the web or using streaming sites, the over 65s would be advised to consider their use of email carefully – over a third (35pc) of those have experienced an email scam, compared to 23pc of the wider population.
