Almost three-quarters (73 per cent) of over 45-year-olds with internet access have been targeted by scammers through email, according to a report by Aviva.
Six per cent of those contacted had fallen for the trap, according to the survey which took the views of 1,700 UK residents.
Older users are most at risk with 8 per cent of the over-75s targeted saying they were a victim, the report found. Around a quarter (24 per cent) of the age group said technology had made them feel vulnerable.
Prior to the Autumn Statement the government unveiled plans to ban cold calling for the sale of pension products following a surge in pension scams in the wake of the pension freedoms.
Rodney Prezeau, managing director, consumer platform, Aviva UK Life, said: “Our research dispels the myth that older generations are technophobes. However, it also highlights the security risks that come with lives that are increasingly led or supported by online services.
“The government is rightly taking action to combat the threat of pension cold-callers in later life, but it is important we don’t forget the additional threats that exist in the digital age."
He added: “As we move pensions out of the Stone Age and make increasing use of online tools, it is vital we ensure that consumers are fully safeguarded and supported so more people are encouraged to engage with their savings.”
Adviser view
Tom Wilcox-Jones, independent financial adviser at London-based Blackstone Moregate, said: “We have dealt with people who have been victims of scams. A few years ago a client’s email got hacked. The hacker sent us a message, under the guise of the client, claiming he had gotten into financial difficulty and requested £10,000. We knew it was a scammer straight away because we do not handle money. We are extra careful in they way we share information with clients because of increasingly sophisticated scammers.”
