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Financial capability and learning

Helping our customers avoid scams this Christmas

We’ve launched the Scamvent calendar to educate people on the most common purchase scams affecting seasonal shopping.

25 Nov 2024 . 4 mins

We’ve launched a seasonal advent calendar across NatWest, The Royal Bank and Ulster Bank, as part of a campaign to warn the public of the dangers of purchase scams and provide top tips on staying safe this holiday shopping season.

The Scamvent calendar, which will be available in limited numbers in selected branches, features 12 doors and finely crafted artisan chocolates, each representing one of the 12 most common purchase scams the public are likely to encounter this festive period.

A record £85.9 million was stolen by criminals in 156,516 purchase scams last year, with 92% of them originating online; a 34% increase compared to 2022¹.

Research we commissioned showed that 31% of adults are anxious that they’ll fall for a scam when doing their present buying, with 92% of purchase scams linked to online purchases¹.

Hannah Byczkowski and Wilf Webster, familiar faces from Series 1 of ‘The Traitors’, have teamed up with us to launch a new scam awareness video on Scamvent.

We all know that now is the time of year when a lot of us will be shopping; either for a Black Friday deal or getting ahead of our Christmas shopping list. We want the UK public to feel confident in taking action today to keep their money safe, so we're reminding everyone to watch out for purchase scams.

Stuart Skinner, Fraud Expert

Speaking about the launch of Scamvent

The 12 purchases most at risk of being a scam, according to data from people who have themselves been targeted by a scam, or know someone else who has²:

See top 12 purchase scams

Phones (26%) - Scammers advertise high-demand smartphones at attractive prices. Once the victim pays, they may receive a counterfeit or stolen phone, a completely different item, or nothing at all. These scams often occur on online marketplaces or through social media ads.
Tickets (23%) (e.g. concert, theatre, gig tickets) - Fraudsters sell fake or non-existent tickets to events such as concerts, sports games, or theatre shows. Victims either receive counterfeit tickets that are not accepted at the venue or no tickets at all, despite making a payment.
Online vouchers or gift cards (23%) - Fraudsters sell fake or invalid gift vouchers at attractive prices. Victims purchase these vouchers only to find that they cannot be redeemed. These scams often happen through fake websites, social media ads, or email offers.
Laptops and tablets (21%) - Adverts, often on social media, which appear to be from trusted retailers such as supermarket chains offering promotions on cut-price laptops from well-known brands – sometimes described as inventory clearance. The ads direct interested buyers through to fake registration websites which steal personal details and payment card information.
Clothing (19%) - Fraudsters set up fake online stores or use social media to sell branded or designer clothing at low prices. Victims may receive counterfeit items, low-quality knock-offs, or nothing at all. The websites often disappear after a short period.
Home tech appliances (15%) (e.g. vacuum cleaners, microwaves) - Scammers tricking consumers into buying non-existent, counterfeit, or inferior home technology products through fake websites, misleading ads, or phishing schemes, often resulting in financial loss and undelivered goods.
Jewellery (12%) - Scammers sell counterfeit or misrepresented jewellery as genuine items, often at inflated prices. They might use convincing photos, false certifications, or claims of authenticity to lure buyers. Once the purchase is made, the buyer receives jewellery of inferior quality or nothing at all.
Video games (11%) - Fraudsters take advantage of the popularity of video games, especially newly released or highly sought-after titles. They may offer these games at discounted prices or claim to have rare editions. Victims may receive counterfeit copies, different games, or nothing at all.
Cars and other vehicles (11%) (e.g. campervans) - These scams involve fraudulent sellers posing as legitimate dealers or private sellers, offering vehicles at prices that seem too good to be true. Scammers may use fake listings, doctored vehicle history reports, or pressure tactics to get the buyer to pay upfront deposits or full payments without ever delivering the car.
Watches (10%) - Scammers advertise luxury or branded watches at significant discounts. Once the victim pays, they may receive a counterfeit watch, a different item, or nothing at all. These scams often target buyers through online marketplaces or fake websites.
Luxury handbags (9%) - These scams target buyers looking for designer handbags, often at a discounted rate. Scammers may use fake websites, social media ads, or online marketplaces to sell counterfeit bags as authentic ones. Buyers may end up with a fake product or, in some cases, no product at all after making a payment.
Trainers and shoes (9%) - Fraudsters offer popular or limited-edition trainers and shoes at discounted prices. The buyer either receives counterfeit products that are of poor quality, a different product altogether, or nothing. These scams are prevalent on fake websites or through social media ads.

Find out more about Scamvent below

¹Data from UK Finance 2024 Annual Fraud Report: https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/policy-and-guidance/reports-and-publications/annual-fraud-report-2024

²Top 12 list based on a sample size of 980 respondents who had themselves or know someone who has been targeted with for a purchase scam

The NatWest, RBS and Ulster Bank branches where the Scamvent calendar will be available:

Grand Central Birmingham, B2 4BF
Bristol City Centre, BS1 3EU
Leicester Granby Street, LE1 6EJ
Milton Keynes, MK9 3BA
Exeter High Street, EX4 3DL
Croydon High Street, CR9 1PD
Portsmouth Commercial Road, PO1 1EJ
Victoria, SW1E 5NA
Grimsby, DN31 1GA
Manchester City Centre, M1 1WR
Liverpool City, L1 3BG
Sheffield City Centre, S1 2GE
Leeds City Office, LS1 5HD
Aberdeen Queens Cross, AB10 1YN
Edinburgh West End Office, EH2 4EQ
Belfast City Office, BT1 5HD

The material published on this page is for information purposes only and should not be regarded as providing any specific advice, or used by consumers to make financial decision. Terms and conditions apply to any products or services mentioned.

Helping our customers avoid scams this Christmas

See top 12 purchase scams

Find out more about Scamvent below

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