Figures reveal that 2020 was the year of the scam as cases rocketed by 66%.
According to research by Barclays, the last six months of the year racked up a record breaking increase compared with the first half as fraudsters cashed in on uncertainty during the pandemic.
Copycat websites accounted for 29% of the rip-offs as cyber crooks fleeced Brits by impersonating brand names online and setting up fake accounts to dupe shoppers.
And scams urging customers to move their money to a “safe” bank account amid false claims that fraud had been detected made up 22% of incidents.
The study found more than half of people who have been victims of scams are too embarrassed to report the crime.
Have you been a victim of a lockdown scam? Email webnews@mirror.co.uk
The survey of 2,000 adults also found a third have already been fleeced by a scam.
Now Countdown’s word queen Susie Dent is urging Brits to overcome their rip-off shame and speak out about it instead.
The TV game show’s resident doyen of the dictionary has been left red faced herself after a string of mistakes in her book Word Perfect left her open to ridicule.
She said: “There are plenty of things that people could find embarrassing. Being mocked by some of Britain’s top comedians on national television could be one of them, or publishing a book full of typesetting errors could be another, but being a victim of fraud and scams shouldn’t be.
“By talking about our experiences, we can work to remove the harmful stigma that exists around fraud, and banish the embarrassment.”
And Jim Winters, head of fraud at Barclays added: “There are actionable steps you can take to help protect yourself against being scammed.
“If you’re suspicious, talk to someone you trust. Don’t be afraid to admit to being duped into a scam. When you receive a suspicious email, phone call or text message, never assume it’s who you think. And most importantly, don’t ignore your concerns. If ever in doubt, speak out.”
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