Scam central: The UK areas most and least worried about fraud

Image: — © AFP,File Cole BURSTON

Scammers are keeping people on their toes across the UK – but nowhere more so than in Oxford, where residents search for scam advice almost twice as often as the national average, according to new research. 

The firm ZeroBounce has analysed Google search data for terms related to fraud and scams, including ‘recruitment scam’, ‘Royal Mail fraud’ and ‘report loan scam’. The study ranked UK areas by concern, measured through searches per 100,000 people. 

The 10 UK areas most concerned about scams 

According to the analysis, and based on the above table, Oxford residents take the top spot, conducting 966 average monthly searches per 100,000 people for scam-related terms, giving the city the highest rate of fraud concern in the UK. Residents’ interest in online security is 96% above the national average of 493 searches per 100,000 people. Residents are especially worried about banking scams (an average of 185 monthly searches), followed by social media scams (133 searches) and phone bill scams (75 searches). 

In Worcester, residents make 840 average monthly searches per 100,000 people, putting the city second in the rankings – that’s 70% above the national average. The main worries here are banking scams, searched an average of 142 times each month, along with social media scams (103 searches) and phone bill scams (55 searches). 

Middlesbrough takes third place with 769 average monthly searches per 100,000 people – 56% higher than the national average. Residents there most often search for banking scams, with an average of 184 searches each month, followed by social media scams (122 searches) and phone bill scams (76 searches). 

In Reading, residents conduct 725 average monthly searches per 100,000 people, putting the town fourth overall and 47% above the national average. The top concerns are banking scams (an average of 190 monthly searches), social media scams (135 searches) and phone bill scams (104 searches). 

Dundee follows closely behind with 723 average monthly searches per 100,000 people, also 47% higher than the national average. Residents there are most concerned about banking scams (an average of 142 monthly searches), social media scams (131 searches) and phone bill scams (72 searches). 

Ipswich places sixth overall, with residents making 657 average monthly searches per 100,000 people – 33% above the national average. Banking scams are the top concern, searched an average of 162 times each month. Social media scams appear in 118 monthly searches, while phone bill scams come up 72 times. 

Eastbourne comes seventh, with 646 average monthly searches per 100,000 people for scam-related terms. That’s 31% higher than the national average. Banking scams top the list, averaging 127 searches each month. Social media scams are searched 91 times monthly, while HMRC scams appear in 49 searches. 

Wolverhampton lands in eighth place with 640 average monthly searches per 100,000 people, which is 30% higher than the national average. The most common searches are about banking scams (an average of 225 monthly searches), social media scams (193 searches) and phone bill scams (102 searches). 

Bolton residents average 639 monthly searches per 100,000 people, placing ninth and sitting 30% above the national average. The top scam types are banking scams (an average of 212 monthly searches), social media scams (174 searches) and phone bill scams (89 searches). 

Completing the top ten, Poole residents make 637 average monthly searches per 100,000 people, which is 29% higher than the national average. The scams they search for most are banking scams (an average of 157 monthly searches), social media scams (99 searches) and TV bill scams (60 searches). 

The five UK areas least concerned about scams 

At the other end of the scale, Cambridge was found to be the least concerned area about scams, averaging just 108 average monthly searches per 100,000 people, which is 78% below the national average. Residents there most often search for banking scams (an average of 32 monthly searches), HMRC scams (15 searches) and social media scams (15 searches). 

Rotherham comes second from the bottom with just 134 average monthly searches per 100,000 people – 73% below the national average. Social media scams are the main concern, averaging 26 searches a month, followed by banking scams with 25 and HMRC scams with 17. 

Nottingham ranks third-lowest, recording 227 average monthly searches per 100,000 people, which is 54% below the national average. Banking scams dominate with an average of 106 searches a month, while social media scams are searched 85 times and HMRC scams 42 times. 

In Watford, residents make 241 average monthly searches per 100,000 people, ranking fourth-lowest and sitting 51% below the national average. Their main concerns are banking scams (an average of 55 monthly searches), social media scams (45 searches) and delivery scams (21 searches). 

London rounds out the bottom five with 260 scam-related searches per 100,000 people each month, putting the capital 47% below the national average. Banking scams remain the biggest worry, searched 4,236 times a month. Social media scams aren’t far behind with 4,015 monthly searches, while HMRC scams also attract significant attention at 1,580 searches. 

Brian Minick, COO at ZeroBounce, commented on the findings, “This data shows a significant variation in scam-related searches across UK cities and towns, which could suggest different levels of awareness or concern about potential threats. 

Despite these geographical variations, scammers do not discriminate. Whether it’s a fake banking text, a delivery scam or an HMRC email, each region presents potential targets.