Peter Hazlewood, group financial crime risk director at Aviva, told Metro: “Fraudsters are exploiting the pandemic to take advantage of people when they are at their most vulnerable. They are using coronavirus as a pretext to lure potential victims.
“The scams range from attempts to sell people unsuitable insurance to, at worst, stealing their entire retirement savings. The impact on victims is not just financial either, it has a detrimental effect on people’s mental wellbeing too.”
According to the latest figures from the Local Government Association (LGA), some councils in the UK have seen a 40 percent increase in reported scams since the start of the public health crisis.
Gareth Shaw, head of money at Which?, said: “The coronavirus pandemic has created the ideal environment for fraudsters to prey on people’s fears and vulnerabilities during this period of financial uncertainty.
“Everyone should be wary of any unsolicited emails, texts or calls offering insurance, pension or investment products. Make sure your personal devices are supported by the latest security updates and antivirus software to minimise threats.”
