Study reveals UK council with the highest exposure to online shopping scams.

Research by leading chargeback firm and online trading scam specialists Payback Ltd analysed ONS data on how much different age groups shop online and the age of the population in more than 300 UK local authorities to pinpoint the area most at risk of shopping scams.

Tower Hamlets has the population at the highest risk of online shopping scams activity, with 90.68% of people over 18 in the borough set to make purchases online over the course of the year. The borough has one of the largest proportions of people aged between 25 and 34 years old, who make up a third of the population over 18. ONS figures show that 99% of people in this age group shop online – the highest rate in the UK, which contributes to making Tower Hamlets the area most exposed to online scams.

The study identified an amount of £76.4 million dashed out through online shopping scams with 98,259 cases reported to the police force. The highest case was sighted in January 2021, which recorded an amount of £10,000 given away through fraudulent schemes.

Islington is the next high-risk area for online shopping fraud, with 90.22% of its total population likely to make purchases online this year. Out of the 195,462 people over 18 in the borough, 34% are between ages 25- to 34-year-olds – the highest percentage in the country.

Third in line is Manchester, whose online shopping population of 367,374 means 89.67% of the population could be exposed to nefarious online activity when making an online purchase. More than one in five people in Manchester (21%) are aged between 18 and 24, with ONS figures indicating that the age group is second most likely to shop online, with 96% doing so regularly.

Hackney comes fourth with 89.65% of its population set to shop online this year. The fifth highest-risk area is Lambeth, with 89.49% of its population regular online shoppers.

A spokesperson from Payback Ltd commented: “It is vital that online shoppers, whether new to online shopping or experienced, stay vigilant to avoid falling victim to online shopping scammers who tend to offer deceitfully attractive deals and use seasonal tactics such as Valentine’s Day and Easter sales to their advantage.

These findings offer a fascinating insight into the locations in the UK that need to be more vigilant in order to enjoy a fraud-free year.”

North Norfolk was identified as the area at the lowest risk of internet scams this year, with 80.60% of its population set to shop online this year. This is as a result of those over 55, numbering nearly half of the population – 79% of people between 55 and 64 have shopped online before, while the figure drops to 65% for people older than 65.

North Norfolk was followed by Rother and East Lindsey, which both have 80.86% of their population set to shop online this year.

The fourth least at-risk area was West Devon, with 81.16% of its population scrolling online to make purchases.

This left South Hams as the fifth area to be least exposed to online scamming activities – 81.17% of its residents are likely to make online purchases this year.