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Virgin Media O2 has issued a warning after its quarterly Scam Index revealed that job and employment scams have climbed the UK’s top 10 most reported fraud types, rising from 11th to 9th place.
The increase corresponds to recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures shows that almost one million young people aged 16-24 are not in education, work or training.
According to the data, almost one in three (29%) young adults aged 18-24 have fallen victim to recruitment scams, representing the highest proportion of any age group.
Fraudsters are increasingly exploiting job seekers with messages promising flexible hours and easy income, such as having recipients recommended for remote roles or offering hundreds of pounds for minimal work.
The consequences extend beyond false promises: 29% of victims were tricked into paying application, training or equipment fees, while 32% were manipulated into downloading malicious apps or clicking on dangerous links.
Says Murray Mackenzie, Director of Fraud Prevention at Virgin Media O2:
“Looking for work can be challenging, and an unexpected recruitment message can seem like the break you’ve been waiting for. Scammers exploit this hope, posing as trusted companies and recruiters to convince people to respond.
“With recruitment scams coming our way Scam Index Top 10We reveal some of the messages scammers use so people know what to watch out for. They don’t always promise extraordinary salaries – some look like an ordinary introduction from a recruiter.
“Before responding to an unexpected job posting, check the opportunity directly with the company using contact details you found yourself.”
In addition to recruitment scams, the Scam Index shows suspicious calls taking over emails as the most reported approach, with calls increasing from 55% to 61% and emails falling from 57% to 52%. Delivery scams remain the most commonly seen, rising from 63% to 68%. Fake account suspension messages moved into second place (58%), ahead of online shopping scams (55%).
Virgin Media O2’s quarterly Scam Index brings together consumer research and the operator’s internal data to track the threats facing the public, the impact on victims and the tactics criminals use.
To help the public identify malicious approaches, Virgin Media O2 recommends independently checking official company websites, questioning too-good-to-be-true promises, protecting personal information and forwarding suspicious text messages to the free 7726 reporting line.
UK’s Top 10 Most Seen Scams
Delivery scams (68%)
Account suspension scams (58%)
Online shopping scams (55%)
Government / HMRC fraud (48%)
Tech Support Scams (47%)
Telecommunication scams (47%)
Prize/lottery scams (44%)
Banking/financial scams (44%)
Job/Employment Scams (37%)
Investment / crypto scams (37%)
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