Nearly three-quarters of people have been targeted by scams in the past year with a majority of approaches online, according to new figures published today.

Six in 10 said they now see more digital and online scams than “real life” cons, such as bogus sellers going door-to-door.

Eight in 10 said they were concerned that impersonation fraud may become harder to spot in the next five years. Many said this was because of the rise in AI with nearly a fifth saying they had replied to a message from an impersonator in the past, initially believing it was from a friend or family member.

One in seven said that they had previously lost money to fraud, according to the study conducted on behalf of NatWest.

Stuart Skinner, head of fraud management retail banking at NatWest, said: “We continue to see scams on the rise, especially through digital and social media channels.

“With the increase in new digital tactics used by fraudsters, it’s becoming increasingly harder for consumers to spot, avoid and track.”

He said talking about fraud with family and friends is a good way to share information across generations and keep up to date with latest guidance.

An HMRC spokesperson said: “Criminals are great pretenders. They use emails, phone calls and texts to try and dupe citizens, and often mimic government messages to make them appear authentic."

According to the National Cyber Security Centre – part of GCHQ – HMRC was the third most impersonated UK government body in 2022, behind the National Health Service and TV Licensing.

HMRC said: “Unexpected contacts like these should set alarm bells ringing, so take your time and check HMRC scams advice on www.gov.uk/guidance/identify-hmrc-related-scam-phone-calls-emails-and-text-messages

To help fight these crimes, forward suspicious texts claiming to be from HMRC to 60599 and emails to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., HMRC said.

• 2,000 people across the UK were surveyed by OnePoll in September for the NatWest research.