Consumer fraud affects 1 in 4 Europeans
Every year across Europe, millions of Europeans are victims of consumer fraud. They are cheated or misled about their purchases, or they experience payment card fraud. People with disabilities are more likely to fall victim to fraud than other groups. These are some of the findings of the Fundamental Rights Agency’s (FRA) recent survey into people’s experiences of crime. On the World Consumer Rights Day, FRA calls on EU countries to step up their efforts to protect consumers. FRA’s ‘ Crime,safety and victims’ rights ’ report reveals that: Consumer fraud – over one in four people (26%) in the EU were cheated or misled about goods, items or services purchased in the five years before the survey. Young people and those with higher levels of education experienced more online fraud. This may be because they shop more frequently online. Online banking fraud – nearly one in 10 (8%) experienced online banking or payment card fraud in the five years before the survey. Rates vary significant