Festive Scams Hit Gen Z Hard: New McAfee Study Reveals Majority of Festive Scam Victims are aged 18-24

Online protection company McAfee found that 1 in 5 Brits have fallen victim to an online shopping scam during the festive period, with over a third (36%) aged 18-24.
More than half (54%) of the UK population is more worried about scams this festive season than last, largely due to a rise in deepfakes.
Ahead of this year’s Black Friday sales and Christmas shopping season, McAfee experts provide their top tips for avoiding pesky scammers.

UK – 18 Nov., 2024— McAfee, a global leader in online protection, is encouraging safer shopping during the festive season after its latest study found that 1 in 5 Brits have fallen for an online scam at this busy time of year. The research also found that festive scams are hitting younger Brits the hardest, with 36% of victims aged 18-24, but it’s this age group which feels most confident in its ability to discern truth from fiction.

McAfee’s global festive scams study polled over 7,000 adults, including 1,014 in the UK, and revealed the impact of AI on online scams and purchasing behaviours. British shoppers are notably on high alert, with 90% believing the use of AI by cybercriminals is impacting the amount and types of online scams this festive season. In fact, with this in mind, 3 in 5 will be more alert to the possibility of fake messages this year compared to last, and 1 in 10 will shop online less.

Just 56% of people in the UK feel confident they can spot deepfakes or AI-generated content like fake news and scams, while people aged 18-34 are most likely (71%) to feel confident in their ability to discern truth from fiction.

With 1 in 5 Brits having fallen victim to a festive scam, and with more than half of those losing money as a result, McAfee shares the top types of fake emails and texts that we all need to be on the lookout for:

“You’ve won a prize” type messages (68%)
Fake missed delivery or delivery problem notification (64%)
Amazon security alert or account update notification (36%)
Information about a purchase you didn’t make (34%)
An issue with your credit card or bank account (34%)
Fake job scam where a position needs to be filled quickly (21%)
Netflix (or a similar streaming service) subscription updates (20%)

It’s not just fake messages that are duping Brits out of money, however. Purchase scams, where you pay for an item and it never arrives, are also rife. Becky, 23 from London, was scammed when trying to buy a gift online. She says, “I found what looked like a great deal for a Nintendo Switch on an online marketplace. The description and photos all seemed real but after I paid, the seller vanished and the package never arrived. I always thought it was older people that fell for scams but I’ve absolutely learnt my lesson now and just want others to be careful, too. With the busy Christmas shopping period, it’s never been more important to raise our guard, no matter how technically savvy we think we are.”

Vonny Gamot, Head of EMEA at McAfee, commented: “The festive season is one that many look forward to and that’s not just consumers and retailers, but scammers looking to make a quick buck. With AI-powered tools, we’re seeing near-perfect imitations of trusted brand messages and websites. While it’s no longer just a case of looking out for misspelled words and grammar issues, a scammer will always use a sense of urgency to pressure people into acting. We’re encouraging everyone to stay cautious and to always go direct to the source to protect their information. Keep your guard up, think before you click and stay one step ahead to keep your festive season merry and safe.”

McAfee’s Tips for Safe Festive Shopping

To stay safe this season, Vonny recommends that you:

“Think before you click. If you receive an email or text message asking you to click on a link, even if it sounds like you’ve won an incredible prize or received a package delivery update, it’s best to avoid interacting with the message altogether. Always go directly to the source and interact with reputable companies.”
“Don’t rush. Scammers use urgency to pressure you into acting without thinking. Take a moment to verify any email or message that claims you need to make a payment or resolve an issue.”
“Shop securely. Stick to well-known stores and verify any unfamiliar ones by reading reviews. Pay with a credit card wherever possible as this offers better fraud protection than a debit card.”
“Know what to look out for in deepfakes. Look for slight inconsistencies in content. Is there unnatural blinking, odd eye movements, or unusual-looking hands or teeth? Does the audio not quite match the speaker’s lips or have a distorted quality?”
“Use AI to beat AI. Consider taking advantage of AI-powered tools that detect deepfakes for you and block dangerous links that appear in text messages, emails, social media or web browsers, so you can shop peacefully and securely.”

Survey Methodology
The survey, which focused on the topic of deepfakes, scam messages, and festive shopping, was conducted online in November 2024. 7,128 adults, age 18+, In 7 countries (US, Australia, India, UK, France, Germany, Japan), participated in the study.

About McAfee
McAfee Corp. is a global leader in online protection for consumers. Focused on protecting people in an always-online world, McAfee’s solutions adapt to user needs, empowering individuals and families with secure, intuitive tools. For more information, visit https://www.mcafee.com.

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