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

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

3. 3 Making Complaints Summary and Key Findings

4. 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. 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)  Email 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. 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. 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. 8 Making Complaints Detailed Results

9. 9 Making Complaints % Targeted by a Scam 3 in 5 have been targeted by a scam. Those aged 35-54 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: 45-54 year olds 35-44 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. 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. 11 Making Complaints Scam Type Demographics (% Yes) – I Total Male Female 16-2425-3435-4445-5455-64 65+ ABC1/F50+ C2DE/F50- Dublin ROL Munster Conn/Ulster Foreign lottery scam 32 31233342413112342932313034 Premium rate telephone prize scam 242522 202734288 2021242526 Work from home scam 212419 2429 154212220271623 Chain letter scam 21192321162728237 1921241525 Prize draw/sweep sakes scam 20211925202322176211921 1623 Unsolicited contact using bogus claim there is a problem with PC 2022181613262921132317222018 Foreign money making offers 1619131416202212719132017124 Those aged 35-54 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. 12 Making Complaints Scam Type Demographics (% Yes) – II Total Male Female 16-2425-3435-4445-5455-64 65+ ABC1/F50+ C2DE/F50- Dublin ROL Mun Conn/Ulster Other unsolicited requests for personal information 151613 2021143171216 1214 Pyramid selling scam 131512111416191161412 101714 Miracle health and/or slimming scams 12111312 14161121311 12817 Bogus holiday club scam 10 9 1114791110 12119 Bogus offer to have work done on home 675668844665758 Other 222123321324212 Have not been the target of any scam 393642433329284372354237 4535 (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000) 45-54 year olds were most likely to have been targeted by other unsolicited requests for personal information and a pyramid selling scam.

13. 13 Making Complaints Preferred Method of Targeting Email 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) Email Mail Landline phone Online Mobile phone Flyer % Q. By what means were you targeted?

14. 14 Making Complaints Preferred Method of Targeting Demographics Males, those aged 35-44 and living in the rest of Leinster are most likely to have been targeted by email. Whereas those approached via landline are most likely to have been aged 45-54. (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000) TotalMaleFemale16-2425-3435-4445-5455-6465+ ABC1/ F50+ C2DE/ F50- DubROLMun Conn/ Ulster Email38443334455647277423539433340 Mail2018232622 25173231820 1727 Landline phone 18162019142129165211518201718 Online1417112021151415414 15181015 Mobile phone 121591613 17811311 151113 Flyer8961197 3-877977

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

16. 16 Making Complaints Scam Type x Method of Targeting – II (Base: All targeted by scam – various) Foreign Money making Offers (16%) Email72% Other Unsolicited Requests for Personal Information (15%) Email80% Pyramid Selling Scam (13%) Email52% Miracle Health and/or Slimming Scams (12%) Email63% Bogus Holiday Club Scam (10%) Email34% Bogus Offer to Have Work Done on Home (6%) Email34%

17. 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: 16-24 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. 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. 19 Making Complaints Incidence of Losing Money or Handing Over Information 13% of 25-34 year olds, 45-54 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: 25-34 Year Olds13% 45-54 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. 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. 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 35-64 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: 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ % 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. 22 Making Complaints Research Background and Methodology

23. 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. 24 Making Complaints Profile of Sample Gender AgeSocial Class Region Male Female 16-24 35-44 55-64 Dublin Rest of Leinster Munster Conn/ Ulster ABC1/ F50+ C2DE/ F50- % % % % 25-34 45-54 65+ (Base: All adults aged 16+ – 1,000)