Scam victims can't control emotions

How likely someone is to fall for scams such as phishing emails could be down to their personality traits, according to a report from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

Research undertaken by the University of Exeter on behalf of the OFT found that people who become victims of scammers are likely to be unduly open to persuasion by others and less able to control their emotions.

Up to 20 per cent of the UK population is vulnerable to these scams, the OFT said, and many people who have fallen victim in the past show interest in responding to scams again.

How to avoid phishing scams

Many of those who respond to scam offers don't tell friends or family about it, according to the report.

More worryingly, people who consider themselves to have a good knowledge of scams and the way they work can actually be more vulnerable as they are over-confident in their judgements.

Gareth Thomas MP, the Consumer Minister, said: "These findings show it is not just the vulnerable but the financially savvy too who are at real risk of falling victim to scammers."

Last week, a separate report found that a quarter of online banking customers were vulnerable to phishing attacks.