Why fighting back against criminals isn’t as difficult as you think

New data by YouGov for Ask Silver’s annual UK APP Scam Survey reveals a shocking 42 percent of people aren’t worried about scams even though 45 million people*** received a suspicious call this summer. Failed scam attempts in the form of letters, phishing emails, and texts target many more.  Despite the public lack of concern about scams Ask Silver, a free AI-powered scam-checking tool that enables people to report any scam attempt at the touch of a button in WhatsApp, is urging the public to report every scam attempt – even those that are unsuccessful and fail to reel people into clicking a link by email or text, or even disclosing personal information by phone – as experts warn that unreported incidents still allow fraudsters to continue operating.

Canvassing the views of 2,100 people from across the UK, the survey has revealed that despite the critical role reporting failed scam* attempts play in fighting fraud, a troubling level of apathy exists, with over a third (38 percent) saying that they are reluctant to spend their free time reporting unsuccessful scams, stemming from the perception that it’s a cumbersome process that offers little immediate benefit and no on-going update.

A huge 47 percent of participants expressed uncertainty about where exactly to report scams and how to do it effectively without feeling overwhelmed by the seemingly complex process and the many and sometimes confusing options available**.

And, 36 percent of respondents stated that reporting scams feels like a chore that requires time and effort – and with some reporting options taking up to 20 minutes by phone they’d be right.

Alex Somervell, co-founder of AI Silver says: “Before conducting this survey, we knew that there would be some level of indifference when it comes to reporting unsuccessful scams. We lead busy lives and feel that the effort required to report failed attempts are not worth the outcome, especially if there’s the belief that no change or action will happen, but these findings highlight a troubling disconnect between awareness of the risks posed by possible scams and the willingness of people to take action.

“But reporting an unsuccessful scam attempt can actually have an impact and the correct authorities can shut down fraudulent email addresses or websites very quickly.”

The most concerning outcome, however, is that 42 percent of respondents indicated that they aren’t worried about scams at all, suggesting a level of complacency or a belief that scams are not a significant threat to them personally. It may also reflect a lack of awareness regarding the prevalence and sophistication of modern scams, leading some individuals to underestimate their risk and the importance of vigilance in safeguarding their financial information.

Alex concludes: “We know that 45 million*** people received a suspicious call this summer and many more were targeted by failed scam attempts in the form of letters, phishing emails and texts, the majority of which  remain unreported. Every single report, however insignificant people think it is, helps law enforcement authorities connect the dots and build cases against scammers.

“By increasing reporting of these incidents, consumers can play a direct role in disrupting criminal networks and help stop them from committing scams in the future, also it helps to protect ourselves and our loved ones to fight back against these criminals.”