1 in 10 Brits have been targeted by scammers this summer. Are you cyber-ready?

A recent study from security awareness provider KnowBe4 is warning about an increased scam risk for Brits seeking to attend concerts, sporting events or go on vacation this summer.

According to a survey on the prevalence of scams exploiting summer travel plans and activities, users in the UK are especially drawn to music festivals, traveling abroad, and upcoming sports events such as the Paris Olympics.

The report shows that at least 1 in 10 (11%) of surveyed individuals have been targeted by scammers while planning their summer activities, with an additional 8% unsure if they’ve been targeted.

While 40% of those targeted by scams have reported the activity to local authorities, the impact on their online security and finances has been extensive:

· 36% of victims reported losing money to scammers

· 31% said they lost access to online accounts

· 30% reported that their data was stolen by scammers

“These findings highlight the growing issues faced by Brits looking to travel abroad and attend events this summer as fraudsters look to capitalise on this busy period,” said Javvad Malik, lead security advocate at KnowBe4. “Staying vigilant and informed about these risks can help consumers reduce the risk of falling victim to such attacks and losing money or having their data stolen. In addition, a culture of awareness is imperative to mitigate the human risk that is rife during such a popular time to travel and attend events.”

The study also delves into users’ attitudes and behaviors regarding data breach notifications during this time, with only a third (30%) of respondents taking appropriate mitigation steps, such as changing passwords. An additional 10% of respondents are not so cautious, clicking on embedded links in data breach notifications, an approach that does pose some risks, with cybercriminals often capitalizing on data breach news to send phishing emails (fake data breach notices) to consumers.

Unfortunately, only 6% of respondents take proactive measures and use services to check if their information has been exposed in a data breach, while 4% ignore data breach notifications, leaving them vulnerable to misuse of personal data and financial compromise.

KnowBe4 recommends that consumers in the UK remain vigilant against scams leveraging summer activities and stick to good cyber hygiene to stay safe, including:

- Verifying sources and reporting suspicious activities and scams

- Protecting personal information by using secure websites and limiting oversharing

- Monitoring financial accounts and setting up alerts

- Staying informed about common scam tactics and scams

- Staying on top of data breaches and learning how to respond to data security incidents

Here’s how Bitdefender can help you secure your digital livelihood this summer:

Get a security solution to benefit from:

- Award-winning antivirus and antimalware detection to stop malicious software from compromising the security of your device, data, and finances

- Anti-phishing and anti-fraud detection protects against phony websites and fraud

- VPN and Password Manager boosts privacy and offers an easy way to set robust passwords to keep your kids’ online accounts safe.

-  Email Protection helps you avoid phishing attempts, scam emails, or other dangerous emails

- Digital Identity Protection with instant data breach alerts, continuous monitoring against data leaks involving your personal information and easy-to-follow security steps you can take to mitigate risks and secure your accounts.

You can also use Bitdefender Scamio, our AI-powered scam detector, to enjoy peace of mind this summer. Stay a step ahead of scammers with your dedicated scam-busting assistant Scamio, which analyzes, in real-time, links, offers, promotions or screenshots of any suspicious correspondence you may receive.

If you suspect someone is trying to scam you, check it out with Scamio. Send any texts, messages, links, QR codes, or images to Scamio, which will analyze them to determine if they are part of a scam. Scamio is free and available on Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and your web browser. You can also help others stay safe by sharing Scamio with them in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Romania, Australia and the UK.