National Consumer Agency Awareness and Experience of Scams March 2011 Market Research Conducted by

2 Making Complaints  Summary and Key Findings  Detailed Results  Methodology and Profile Table of Contents

3 Making Complaints Summary and Key Findings

4 Making Complaints  61% of consumers indicated that they or a family member have been targeted by a scam;  of those who were targeted, 28% replied to a scam with the intention to participate and of those who replied, 65% have lost money or handed over information as a result of a scam  Of the total population, 11% of consumers, either themselves or a family member, have lost money or handed over information as a result of a scam  Most Common Scams - foreign lottery scam - almost in 1 in 3 (32%) targeted, followed by premium rate telephone, 1 in 4 (24%) targeted Key Findings - I

5 Making Complaints  Consumers were most likely to have responded to a work from home scam (24% of those targeted) and a premium rate telephone prize scam (21% of those targeted)  is the number one channel through which consumers have been targeted with a scam – as mentioned by almost 2 in 5 (38%)  Almost 4 in 5 (78%) claim to be confident of spotting a scam. Those aged 65+ are less confident (67%) with regards to spotting a scam Key Findings - II

6 Making Complaints Scams Conversion Pyramid % Incurred a Loss % Replied % Targeted by a Scam Over 1 in 4 consumers that were targeted by a scam tried to participate; of which almost 2 in 3 lost money or handed over information as a result. (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000) 65% of those who try to participate are caught out 28% of those targeted replied with the intention to participate

7 Making Complaints Scams – Conversion Pyramid By Type 50% Foreign Lottery Scam % Incurred a Loss % Replied % Targeted by a Scam Those who were targeted by a work from home scam were most likely to have replied – as mentioned by 1 in 4, of which 2 in 5 lost money or handed over information as a result. 13% (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000) 60% Premium Rate Telephone Prize Scam 21% 40% Work from Home Scam 24% 50% Chain Letter Scam 10% 67% Prize Draw/Sweepstakes Scam 15% 50% Problem with PC Scam 13% % Incurred a Loss % Replied % Targeted by a Scam

8 Making Complaints Detailed Results

9 Making Complaints % Targeted by a Scam 3 in 5 have been targeted by a scam. Those aged are most likely to have been targeted; however 4 in 5 of this same age cohort claim to be confident in their ability to spot a scam. No % Targeted Yes More Likely to be: year olds year olds 72% 71% (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000) Least Likely to be: 65+72% Q. Have you or a family member ever been a target of any of the following scams?

10 Making Complaints % Scams by Type 1 in 4 have been targeted by a premium rate telephone prize scam while circa 1 in 5 have been targeted by other scams such as work from home, chain letter, prize draw and unsolicited contact in relation to a problem with a PC. (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000) Foreign lottery scam Premium rate telephone prize scam Work from home scam Chain letter scam Prize draw/Sweepstakes scam Unsolicited contact using bogus claim there is a problem with PC Foreign money making offers Other unsolicited request for personal information (phishing/ID theft) Pyramid selling scam Miracle health and/or slimming scams Bogus holiday club scam Bogus offer to have work done on home Other Have not been the target of any scam % Q. Have you or a family member ever been a target of any of the following scams?

11 Making Complaints Scam Type Demographics (% Yes) – I Total Male Female ABC1/F50+ C2DE/F50- Dublin ROL Munster Conn/Ulster Foreign lottery scam Premium rate telephone prize scam Work from home scam Chain letter scam Prize draw/sweep sakes scam Unsolicited contact using bogus claim there is a problem with PC Foreign money making offers Those aged are most likely to have been targeted by a number of scams including foreign lottery, work from home and chain letter scams. (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000)

12 Making Complaints Scam Type Demographics (% Yes) – II Total Male Female ABC1/F50+ C2DE/F50- Dublin ROL Mun Conn/Ulster Other unsolicited requests for personal information Pyramid selling scam Miracle health and/or slimming scams Bogus holiday club scam Bogus offer to have work done on home Other Have not been the target of any scam (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000) year olds were most likely to have been targeted by other unsolicited requests for personal information and a pyramid selling scam.

13 Making Complaints Preferred Method of Targeting is the number one channel through which consumers have been targeted with a scam – as mentioned by almost 2 in 5. (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000) Mail Landline phone Online Mobile phone Flyer % Q. By what means were you targeted?

14 Making Complaints Preferred Method of Targeting Demographics Males, those aged and living in the rest of Leinster are most likely to have been targeted by . Whereas those approached via landline are most likely to have been aged (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000) TotalMaleFemale ABC1/ F50+ C2DE/ F50- DubROLMun Conn/ Ulster Mail Landline phone Online Mobile phone Flyer

15 Making Complaints Scam Type x Method of Targeting – I (Base: All targeted by scam – various) is the most frequently used channel across each of the different scams. Foreign Lottery Scam (32%) Mail Online 59% 31% 9% Premium Rate Telephone Prize Scam (24%) Landline phone Mobile phone 30% 23% 21% Work from Home Scam (21%) Online Mail 63% 25% 15% Chain Letter Scam (21%) Mail Online 59% 23% 12% Prize Draw/Sweepstakes Scam (20%) Mail Online 53% 22% 12% Unsolicited Contact Using the Bogus Claim There is a Problem with PC Scam (20%) Landline phone Online 44% 39% 16%

16 Making Complaints Scam Type x Method of Targeting – II (Base: All targeted by scam – various) Foreign Money making Offers (16%) 72% Other Unsolicited Requests for Personal Information (15%) 80% Pyramid Selling Scam (13%) 52% Miracle Health and/or Slimming Scams (12%) 63% Bogus Holiday Club Scam (10%) 34% Bogus Offer to Have Work Done on Home (6%) 34%

17 Making Complaints Response with the Intention of Participating The younger age cohort (16-24s) are more likely to respond to scams as are those living within the Connaught/Ulster region. No % Replied Yes Most Likely to be: Year olds Conn/Ulster 22% (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000) Not targeted Q. Did you or a family member reply to this scam with the intention of partaking?

18 Making Complaints Incidence of Reply By Type of Scam Overall, just under 1 in 5 replied to a scam. Consumers are most likely to have responded to a work from home scam and a premium rate telephone prize scam. (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000) Work from Home Scam (21%) Premium Rate Telephone Prize Scam (24%) Foreign Lottery Scam (32%) Prize Draw/ Sweepstakes Scam (20%) Miracle Health and/or Slimming Scams (12%) Foreign Money Making Offers (16%) Bogus Offer to have Work done on Home (6%) Pyramid Selling Scam (13%) Bogus Holiday Club Scam (10%) Chain Letter Scam (21%) Unsolicited Contact Using the Bogus Claim there is a Problem with PC (20%) % ( ) = % Targeted Q. Did you or a family member reply to this scam with the intention of partaking?

19 Making Complaints Incidence of Losing Money or Handing Over Information 13% of year olds, year olds and those living within Connaught/Ulster have lost money or handed over information as a result of partaking in a scam. Not Replied % Lost Yes Most Likely to Be: Year Olds13% Year Olds13% Conn/Ulster13% (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000) Not Targeted No Q. Did you or a family member lose money or hand over information as a result?

20 Making Complaints Incidence of Losing Money or Handing Over Information by Type of Scam Overall 11% have lost money or handed over information as a result of a scam. (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000) Any Loss (17%) Premium Rate Telephone Prize Scam (5%) Work from Home Scam (5%) Foreign Lottery Scam (4%) Prize Draw/ Sweepstakes Scam (3%) % ( ) = % Replied Q. Did you or a family member lose money or hand over information as a result?

21 Making Complaints Confidence in Spotting a Scam Almost 4 in 5 claim to be confident in spotting a scam - this is highest amongst the year old age cohort. Those aged 65+ are less confident regards spotting a scam. (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000) % Total Extremely confident (5) Fairly confident (4) Neither/Nor (3) Not very confident (2) Not at all confident (1) Mean Score3.9 78% GENDER: Male Female AGE: % 4/5 Confident SOCIAL CLASS: ABC1/F50+ C2DE/F50- REGION: Dublin Rest of Leinster Munster Conn/Ulster % Q. How confident are you that you can spot a scam?

22 Making Complaints Research Background and Methodology

23 Making Complaints Methodology  A nationally representative sample of 1,000 adults aged 16+ was achieved via a hybrid research methodology of online and face to face interviewing  To ensure that the data is nationally representative, quotas were applied on the basis of age, gender and social class  850 interviews were conducted online and 150 face-to-face  Fieldwork was conducted between 18 th - 28 th March 2011

24 Making Complaints Profile of Sample Gender AgeSocial Class Region Male Female Dublin Rest of Leinster Munster Conn/ Ulster ABC1/ F50+ C2DE/ F50- % % % % (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000)