AI voice cloning and fake parcel delivery scams surge in UK
Research by Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest identified AI voice cloning and fake parcel delivery scams as among the fastest growing frauds in the UK in 2024, with £570 million reported stolen in the first half of the year and 42 per cent of British adults targeted by scams in the last 12 months.
What happened
Research from Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest identified AI-powered voice cloning scams and fake parcel delivery text scams as among the fastest growing frauds targeting Britons in 2024.
Fake parcel delivery texts involve scammers sending fake delivery notifications prompting recipients to click links to reschedule delivery or pay fees; the links often lead to phishing sites designed to steal personal information or install malware.
AI voice cloning was found to be among the fastest growing scams alongside social media marketplace scams, with 30 per cent of Britons reporting targeting by these types of scams in the last 12 months.
Reported impact
£570 million was reported stolen by scammers in the first half of 2024, with fraudsters targeting UK adults an average of four and a half times per month.
42 per cent of British adults have been targeted by a scam in the last 12 months, with young adults aged 18-24 the most targeted group at 55 per cent of that demographic approached by scammers.
Index analysis
Fake parcel delivery texts were the fastest growing scam, affecting 30 per cent of people surveyed, while AI voice cloning and social media marketplace scams were tied as other fastest growing cons at 30 per cent.
The study combined Royal Bank of Scotland industry data with a national survey of 2,000 British adults, with Scottish adults experiencing an average of seven scam attempts per month compared to the national average of four and a half times per month.
Governance controls
Stuart Skinner, Fraud Expert from Royal Bank of Scotland, warned the public to be wary of urgent messages asking for payments or to download apps, which may contain spyware or be a first step for criminals to contact victims later.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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