More than 20 million adults across the UK have inadvertently enrolled in costly subscription services, with a staggering five million still paying for products they never intended to buy, a major new alert reveals.
The 'Silent Scam' Draining Bank Accounts
National Trading Standards has issued a stark warning about so-called 'silent scams', where criminals siphon money from households using small, recurring payments. These scams frequently originate from seemingly attractive offers, such as free trials or low one-off purchases, which then covertly convert into ongoing subscriptions.
Louise Baxter, who leads the National Trading Standards scams team, stated that these fraudsters are methodically emptying UK bank accounts. "These 'silent scams' are stealing millions from UK households every year, often without victims even knowing," she explained. "It might be a subscription you never agreed to or a product that wasn't what it seemed. But these crimes are just as serious and just as damaging."
Official Calls for Vigilance and Action
Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, highlighted how scammers are exploiting the ongoing cost-of-living pressures. "Opportunistic scammers are preying on hard times to trick people into handing over their cash, and their tactics are getting harder to spot," she said, emphasising that the impact can be devastating for victims.
The government has also responded to the crisis. Kate Dearden MP, the Minister for Workers Rights and Consumer Protections, outlined official efforts to combat the problem. "As part of our Plan for Change, we have taken decisive action to improve transparency, including cracking down on subscription traps, and banning fake reviews and hidden fees once and for all," she affirmed.
How to Protect Yourself from Fraud
Authorities are urging the public to take immediate and simple steps to guard against these financial threats. The primary advice from the National Trading Standards scams team is clear: check your bank statements and online transactions regularly.
Key protective measures include:
- Scrutinising bank statements for small, unfamiliar regular payments.
- Being extremely cautious with 'free trial' offers and reading all terms and conditions.
- Reporting any suspected scam, no matter how small the amount, to the relevant authorities.
"We're urging everyone to check their bank statements regularly and report all scams, no matter the amount," Louise Baxter stressed. "If we stay silent, the criminals win."
