Money stolen by scammers hijacking UK social media accounts rises 400%
Official data shows a sharp rise in losses from criminals who hack accounts and pose as their owners, often to sell fake event tickets.
Written by EGazette’s AI. The facts are drawn from cited sources; the analysis is the AI’s own.
The total amount stolen by criminals who hack into people's emails and social media accounts and then pose as them has risen by more than 400% in a year, according to official UK data cited by The Guardian.
In many of these cases, scammers hijack a victim's account specifically to use their identity to sell fake event tickets, including tickets to sold-out concerts, to the victim's unsuspecting friends and family.
The sharp rise highlights how account-hijacking fraud has evolved into a more lucrative and targeted scheme, exploiting trust within victims' existing social networks rather than relying solely on anonymous cold contact. Authorities continue to urge users to strengthen account security to limit exposure to this type of fraud.
Sources
- Money stolen by scammers hijacking UK social media accounts rises 400% — The Guardian — World
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
Comments
Loading comments…
Related articles
Phishing Scammers Repeatedly Target Past Victims Using Stolen Esta Application Data
Guardian reporting finds scammers are reusing personal details harvested from fake Esta websites to launch fresh phishing attempts months after the initial fraud.
Bluesky Plans to Let Users Claim Their Own Domains on the Open Web
The social network says the rollout will take 18 to 24 months, meaning shortened 'bsky' handles won't arrive any time soon.
Georgian couple detained attempting to board Tel Aviv flight with forged passports
Authorities stopped a man and woman carrying false documents identifying them as Israeli nationals.
UK seeks to keep East Jerusalem consulate open amid reported expulsion dispute
Britain has declined to comment on reported diplomat expulsions as an October 8 deadline for the consulate's closure approaches.
Israel's Deadline to Shut UK Consulate Approaches Amid Sanctions Dispute
Former British consul Sir Vincent Fean says Israel's move to close the consulate is unlawful, as the deadline follows a new wave of sanctions between the two governments.
Meta joins industry group aiming to simplify business transactions with AI bots
Meta and a startup led by OpenAI chairman Bret Taylor are among the companies developing technical standards for AI-bot commerce.