Calls are being made for new legislation to clampdown on scammers targeting shipping websites after a reported surge in online fraud during the coronavirus pandemic.
Action Fraud reported some 413,553 instances of fraud in the year to April - an increase of 33 per cent compared to the previous 12 months - and, according to the consumer group Which?, is costing victims more than £2.3 billion.
The 33 per cent surge compared to just an 8 per cent rise over the same period to April 2020, suggests the scam industry saw a huge boost during lockdowns as a result of the pandemic.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) crime figures estimates there were more than four million incidents of fraud in 2020, with just one in 10 offences being reported.
Online shopping scams were the most commonly reported, rising by an eye-watering 65 per cent during the pandemic.
Which? is calling for the UK Government's Online Safety Bill to give online platforms a legal responsibility to identify, remove and prevent fake and fraudulent content on their sites, including the adverts often used by fraudsters as the basis for online shopping scams.
It claims there were more than 103,000 reports from people who fell victim to online shopping scams last year - more than the next three categories combined.
Some 56 per cent of reports to Action Fraud came from people aged 20 to 39 compared to 34 per cent from 40 to 59-year-olds and just 9 per cent from those aged 60 to 79.
Phone and text scams saw the biggest year-on-year increase at 83 per cent.
Which? said fraudsters appeared to have taken advantage of people's changing habits, most recently leading to a surge in texts alleging to be from courier and delivery firms asking recipients for admin fees to retrieve packages.
The second biggest increase was online shopping scams, up 65 per cent, while investment fraud increased by 50 per cent. Investment fraud also accounted for the most money reported lost - overall a staggering £535 million.
Commenting on the findings, Which? Money editor Jenny Ross, said: "Fraudsters have added to the suffering that many people have faced during the past year by using the pandemic and the increase in online shopping as a springboard for tricking a growing number of victims.
"Tech giants, banks, telecoms providers, regulators and the Government need to keep up with the evolving tactics of scammers and make sure people cannot be targeted when going about everyday activities like shopping.
"The UK Government's Online Safety Bill must give online platforms a legal responsibility to identify, remove and prevent fake and fraudulent content on their sites - including the adverts often used by fraudsters as part of online shopping scams."
If you think you have been the victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and Police Scotland via 101.
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