SCARY SCAMS: Simon Callow pictured for NatWest’s ‘The Scammer House Of Horrors’ campaign (Image: David Parry/PA Wire)
Legendary actor Simon Callow has partnered with a national bank to narrate a series of true horror stories around the rising issue of scamming.
NatWest’s ‘The Scammer House Of Horrors’ is a video series, digital book and audiobook based on real-life scam stories. The campaign follows the research of 2,000 adults that revealed scammers targeted 73 per cent of Brits, with 60 per cent approached on social media and an average of £350.50 stolen per victim.
The bank has commissioned the horror story campaign to raise awareness among British adults, as three-quarters of Brits admitted they could not identify the signs of money muling, crypto investment and invoice redirection scams. BAFTA-nominated actor Simon Callow, star of Notting Hill, Shakespeare in Love and Four Weddings and a Funeral, has narrated three tales rooted in real case studies.
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Simon Callow said: “It’s frightening how advanced scams have evolved to be. I find it increasingly difficult to stay savvy to the dangers, so it’s more important than ever that we as a nation continue to educate ourselves on the new types of scams emerging so as not to be taken advantage of.
“As someone who nearly fell victim to these sophisticated scamming procedures and knows someone who lost their entire life savings, I’m happy to be helping NatWest in its mission to educate the public and allow everyone to keep their finances safe.”
NatWest said 85 per cent of Brits are worried about falling victim to a scam, and a half (53 per cent) believe they could do more to protect themselves from the dangers. Based on three of the top ten most prevalent scams – romance (25 per cent), invoice redirection fraud (18 per cent) and cryptocurrency (21 per cent) – each story outlines the fate of an unsuspecting member of the public.
Twisted Fate details how fake cryptocurrency investment offerings can swindle individuals out of their earnings through false promises. Romance is Dead is a deceptively alluring romance scam that highlights the modern risks of online dating.
The Final Demand brings to life the horrors of an invoice redirection scam, showing how a fake ‘supplier’ targeted a small business owner by claiming their details have changed and they require a new invoice. NatWest said ‘education is key’, with three quarters (78 per cent) of participants not knowing what money muling is and 71 per cent not able to identify the signs of invoice redirection fraud and other modern scams, such as fake cryptocurrency investments.
Stuart Skinner, the fraud and scam expert at NatWest, said: “We live in a digital age in which fraudsters have more outlets than ever to take advantage of unsuspecting people. We have created three horror stories based on real-life scams – containing common phrases and actions used to manipulate victims.
“It’s terrifying that these stories draw from real-life cases, but we hope it helps others to be equipped with the knowledge to spot and stop these scams themselves. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Simon Callow, a target of a potential scam, to help people avoid losing any of their hard-earned money in the future.”
Top 10 types of scams Brits say they have been targeted by:
- Phishing (57 per cent)
- Smishing (40 per cent)
- Identity fraud (27 per cent)
- Postal scam (25 per cent)
- Romance scam (25 per cent)
- Unauthorised use of a banking card (24 per cent)
- Investment and cryptocurrency scams (21 per cent)
- Approached at home regarding building and renovation work that wasn’t asked for (20 per cent)
- Invoice redirection fraud (18 per cent)
- Money muling (13 per cent)
Over a quarter (28 per cent) are not doing as much as they could to protect themselves against fraudsters, using the same password for all devices and personal accounts. As technology advances and scams become trickier to spot, 60 per cent of Brits claim to have been approached by a scam on social media, and three-quarters believe social media giants should do more to stop fraudulent activity on the platforms.
A third (33 per cent) have seen a celebrity, whose identities are often used without their knowledge in fake ads, advertising an investment product that promises high returns. And 47 per cent looked further and invested, with 21 per cent feeling more confident because a famous person fronted it.
In recent years, a fraudster approached Callow, who admitted that if not for his husband being informed on the subject and intercepting the scam, he would have fallen victim to what he described as a ‘close call’. He shared the story of a close friend who lost an entire quarter of a million-pound life savings to a scam.
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Over a third (37 per cent) admitted to sending money to someone they thought they were romantically involved with over the internet – even if they had never met them. And 52 per cent were too embarrassed to tell their family and friends if it ended in them being scammed.
NatWest’s advice on protecting your finances against scammers
Investment scams:
If you have seen an ad for an investment promising large profits, high rates of return and/or offering to help you invest in cryptocurrency, this is likely to be a scam – if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Before you invest, do your research and check the FCA website.
Romance scams:
Do not respond to requests for money, including investing or taking out loans, from someone you have never met in person, particularly if you have only recently met online. Always speak to your family or friends to get advice, and don’t let anyone tell you to keep your relationship secret or withhold information about what’s going on.
Invoice redirection scams:
Contact the sender independently using a trusted phone number – never rely on an email to validate a payment, and make double-checking second nature.
NatWest serves customers in England and Wales, supporting them with personal, private, and business banking. NatWest helps customers at all stages in their lives, from opening student accounts to buying their first home, setting up a business, and saving for retirement.
Alongside banking services, NatWest offers specialist sector knowledge in areas such as manufacturing and technology, as well as access to specialist entrepreneurial support.
To download the PDF storybook and audiobook, visit the website here.
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