Latest news with #RaymondLumsden
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Fraudsters steal almost £1m from Scots in just one year amid 'Scamdemic'
Online fraudsters apply more sophisticated techniques and exploit the growth of digital platforms to dupe victims. Scots have lost nearly £1m to cyber criminals in the last 12 months as experts warn of an emerging "scamdemic". Figures from Advice Direct Scotland said scams have surged tenfold from only 94 in 2021/22 to 1,119 this year - an astonishing rise of 1,090 per cent. The national consumer advice service says the scale of the problem is likely worse than indicated as the figures don't account for unreported cases or those directly reported to police. The charity is now urging the public to remain vigilant as online fraudsters grow in sophistication and exploit digital platforms at an unprecedented scale. Advice Direct Scotland says crooks have been using social media to target individuals, with scams soaring by 847 per cent in the last year - underscoring the vulnerability of users on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Email-based scams also rose sharply, climbing from 24 to 88 over the same period, while SMS scams plummeted by 75 per cent – down from 102 in 2021/22 to just 25 this year, as criminals switch tactics. Phone scams, meanwhile, remained steady, with 200 reported in 2021/22 and 202 this year. The financial impact of such cons reported to Advice Direct Scotland reached £861,384 over the past 12 months, with £338,758 lost in the past six months alone. Cases included romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, fake deals sent through phishing emails, and false adverts on social media that pressured victims into handing over money, bank details or personal information. It comes after the Record reported on the devastating case of a grandad losing £250,000 to ruthless crooks posing as staff at the Royal Bank of Scotland. Raymond Lumsden, 71, put aside the cash for his family's inheritance but was left penniless after the cruel con in January. The retired businessman, from Edinburgh, fell victim to the scam by approving the transfer of cash to the criminals' account after he responded to a Facebook advert claiming to offer high returns on savings. Hazel Knowles, senior project lead at Advice Direct Scotland, said: 'Unfortunately, we know that Scots have lost more than £860,000 to online scams in the past year, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. 'This is a hugely underreported issue. Many victims are too embarrassed to speak out or do not even realise they have been targeted until it is too late. 'Our latest figures show a clear shift in tactics. Cybercriminals are moving away from basic text scams and using more sophisticated methods across email, social media and interactive platforms that mimic legitimate services with worrying accuracy. 'While SMS scams are in sharp decline, phone scams remain surprisingly resilient. It shows that some old threats persist even as technology evolves. 'It is important to remember there is no shame in being scammed, and anyone who is worried or needs help can contact our specialist advisers for free, impartial and practical advice. 'We are here to help people stay one step ahead of scammers and protect the digital spaces we all rely on.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The charity has urged consumers to be wary of unexpected contacts, high-pressure tactics and promises of unrealistically good returns. A professional-looking website or social media post does not guarantee something is legitimate. It warned that previously, one of the main signs of a digital scam was poor spelling or grammar. But now, criminals can use artificial intelligence tools to generate more convincing messages and even create fake celebrity endorsements that appear authentic. Suspected scams can also be reported through the ScamWatch Quick Reporting Tool at
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
New treatments offer the chance to consign dementia to the history books
In Scotland there are 90,000 people living with dementia. And increasingly this is a disease which affects not just the very old, with 3000 people under 65 also suffering. There can be few families across Scotland unaffected with many of us either facing the illness ourselves or looking after those in its grip. Our health and social sector also faces an ever-growing demand for specialist dementia care, with six out of 10 of those in care homes diagnosed with the illness. For sufferers and their families, this can be a devastating illness to deal with as loved ones must deal with distressing symptoms. But this has also become a major political issue as governments face the consequences of an ageing population. It is no exaggeration to say that dealing with dementia and its effects is one of the biggest challenges facing the entire Western world. But now, at last, there is hope on the horizon. There are more than 100 new drugs which could halt dementia's development. And a new scientific paper reported in today's Daily Record states that we are now at the 'start of a journey to a cure'. The study goes into detail on the treatments going through clinical trials, with many of them able to reverse or even eliminate symptoms. It may be some time before such drugs are widely available so it would be wrong to think we have won this battle. But all of us will be watching and hoping that one day soon dementia is consigned to the history books. Banks too slow to stop the scammers ONLINE scams are a massive growth industry for criminals around the globe. And they are constantly on the look-out for new victims. Today we reveal how one grandad, Raymond Lumsden, responded to an online ad offering high returns for investors. He used his life savings to plough cash into the scheme. It was all a scam, leaving Raymond devastated. But the most worrying thing about this story was that Raymond's bank was too slow to respond to multiple red flags that this was a big con. National Fraud Helpline solicitors are now on the case and they believe that banks need to be more alert to potential scams. We all need to be careful when online offers look to good to be true. But our bankers also need to up their game to keep our money safe.
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Heartbroken grandad loses £250k in RBS scam as fraudsters pose as staff
A Scots grandfather was left in tears after cruel scammers posing as Royal Bank of Scotland staff stole £250k he'd saved for his family— now he's fighting to get it back. A grandad has told how ruthless scammers posing as Royal Bank of Scotland staff stole £250k put aside for his family's inheritance. Raymond Lumsden, 71, was devastated after falling victim to a sophisticated online scam. While he described the 'horrible' fraudsters as the principal villains, he has also hit out at RBS staff for failing to spot red flags before approving the transfer of money to the criminals' account. The retired businessman from Edinburgh hoped to grow his savings for to leave to his loved ones, but instead says the fraud has left him traumatised and thousands of pounds out of pocket. Raymond's nightmare began in January when he responded to a Facebook advert claiming to offer high returns on savings through Royal Bank of Scotland International (RBSI). After filling in his details, he was contacted by someone claiming to be a bank employee and shown professional-looking documents, email addresses and even LinkedIn profiles that matched the names and photos of legitimate staff. Raymond's nightmare began in January when he responded to a Facebook advert claiming to offer high returns on international bond investments through Royal Bank of Scotland International (RBSI). He told the Record: 'I thought the offer looked brilliant. I definitely didn't think it was a scam. There was never a doubt in my mind I was dealing with a legitimate Royal Bank employee.' Raymond then visited his local RBS branch in Corstorphine, Edinburgh, where staff approved his investment transaction with no questions asked - despite Raymond presenting emails that said he needed to send the money to a compliance solicitor's account at RBSI - rather than directly to the bank itself. The fraudsters even gave Raymond access to a fake RBSI online portal where he believed he could track his investment. But weeks later, his world came crashing down when RBS's fraud team phoned him to say they suspected he had been scammed. He continued: 'I didn't believe them at first You could have knocked me over with a feather.' The pensioner is now angry that his bank failed to spot the warning signs, especially when he later discovered that his money had been transferred to a Halifax account - not an RBS one as he had believed. He added: 'No one in the branch questioned if it might be a scam. They didn't do a single check." RBS, which is owned by NatWest Group, has now refunded Raymond £207,000 - but refused to reimburse the remaining £43,000. Raymond has since enlisted the help of National Fraud Helpline solicitors to recover the outstanding cash, who have launched a case with the Financial Ombudsman. Lawyer Fiona Bresnen said: 'Raymond had checked with staff if this was the correct procedure and was reassured that it was fine. He even showed bank staff the email exchanges which mentioned the compliance solicitor but was told that it was okay to transfer the money. This should have raised immediate red flags." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Raymond believes that if even the most basic checks had been carried out, he would not have lost any cash at all. He added: 'I've been with RBS for over 40 years. I trusted them." Now he just wants to recover what's left of the money he had hoped would go to his grandchildren. He said: "They've taken the kids' money and it would mean the world to get the rest of it back." A Royal Bank of Scotland spokesperson said: 'While we can't comment on a case that is at the Ombudsman, if a customer is dissatisfied with their bank's decision, we would always advise them to speak to the Ombudsman themselves who will support with the claim including providing specialised knowledge for free." Impersonation scams take place scammers pretend to be a person whose organisation you trust, in order to trick you in to giving them money or sensitive information. Scammers can use artificial intelligence (AI) to make their scams more realistic. They can make fake videos of celebrities, phone calls from people you know or websites and emails that look official. Be extra cautions of any unexpected contact.
