ESSEX residents are some of the most likely in the country to be scammed online, according to new data. 

Jason Higgs, senior deals strategist at Bountii, has compiled a ranking of areas in the UK with the most reported number of internet scams.

Data collected highlights the volume of fraud reported per police force, with Essex Police being named in 9th place. 

From the period of March 2023 to March 2024, Metropolitan Police had the most fraud reported while Avon and Somerset Police was just behind Essex in 10th.

Jason highlighted potential scams which catch people out, including being duped into thinking they have won a prize or being sent emails from people claiming to be from HMRC.

He also addressed scams where people receive emails containing their own passwords, which may have been obtained from a previous data breach, for the scammers to pretend they had just accessed it and demand payment.

In addition, Jason discussed “quishing” - scammers sending QR codes seemingly from reputable organisations, designed to trick individuals into providing sensitive information, as well as fraudulent computer software schemes.

Jason said: “As evidenced by the data, internet scams pose a significant threat across various regions in the UK. 

“Raising awareness about the tactics used by cybercriminals and implementing preventive measures are essential steps.”