According to the Better Business Bureau, as people are spending more time online there has been a significant increase in the number of online scams since the start of the pandemic. Last year alone, the BBB reports, that type of crime rose by more than 25% compared to the previous year.
DID YOU KNOW?
- A staggering 80.5 percent of consumers reporting online purchase scams in 2020 lost money. That figure has been creeping up from 71.2 percent in 2015, when BBB began collecting data.
- Individuals ages 35-44 were more susceptible and likely to be victimized, while younger consumers are more susceptible than older adults. However, older adults tend to lose more money than younger adults for online purchase scams.
- In addition, service members, military spouses, and veterans were more likely to fall victim than non-military consumers and reported losing significantly more money to online purchase scams.
