Young adults most likely to be scammed, overcharged or ripped off

Consumer harm remains widespread across Scotland, with younger adults the most likely to be ripped off, scammed or left out of pocket, a major new report has found.

Research by Consumer Scotland found six in ten people experienced some form of consumer detriment in the past year, ranging from scams and faulty goods to delivery failures, unfair charges and difficulties securing refunds.

The watchdog’s first statutory Consumer Welfare Report also highlights continuing cost-of-living pressures, with one in five Scots regularly struggling to afford essentials such as food, energy and housing.

Younger consumers were found to be at the greatest risk of harm. Almost three quarters (74%) of 18 to 24-year-olds experienced consumer detriment in the past 12 months, compared with 41% of those aged 65 to 74 and just 31% of over-75s.

They were also almost twice as likely as the average consumer to fall victim to a scam. More than 18% of young adults reported being scammed in the past year, compared with 10% across the wider population.

The report found younger consumers were less confident in understanding their rights and navigating increasingly complex online marketplaces, despite being among the most digitally connected groups.

The survey of more than 2,000 adults also revealed:

36% had seen or been targeted by a scam, while 10% became victims.
Two-thirds of scam victims lost money, with almost one in five losing more than £1,000.
14% experienced a product safety issue, with electrical and fire risks among the most common concerns.
15% of consumers who complained about a problem could not get through to the supplier at all.
Two-thirds of online shoppers encountered hidden or unexpected charges.
More than six in ten struggled to cancel subscriptions or services.

Consumer Scotland chief executive Sam Ghibaldan said consumer harm continued to affect too many households, while affordability pressures remained a significant issue.

He said: “Too many people continue to face challenges, while affordability pressures continue to affect households across Scotland.

“The evidence also shows that some groups are disproportionately affected, with younger
consumers most at risk of harm.

“This highlights the fact that, despite often being more digitally connected, younger consumers may be exposed to different risks through their spending patterns, online activity and engagement with rapidly evolving digital markets.”

Mr Ghibaldan also said improving consumer welfare is not simply about addressing individual consumer problems.

He added: “It is about ensuring markets, public services, regulation and enforcement work effectively for everyone, and particularly for those most at risk of harm or exclusion.

“Consumer welfare and economic growth are closely linked. When consumers can access the goods and services they need, understand their rights and participate confidently in markets, the economy works better for everyone.”

The report warns that consumer harms are continuing to evolve as businesses adopt new technologies, online pricing practices change and increasingly complex global supply chains create new risks for shoppers.

It concludes that strong regulation and enforcement are essential to protect consumers, but warns that trading standards services continue to face significant pressures.