Yule Regret It: NatWest creates Scamvent Calendar to highlight festive fraud

By Ella Horncastle on Monday, December 9, 2024

Christmas is the season of giving – and scammers are taking full advantage.

To help Brits outsmart the fraudsters, NatWest has unveiled a cheeky twist on the advent calendar: the Scamvent Calendar.

Behind each of its 12 doors lies an artisan chocolate shaped like the most common “scammable” products of the year, plus tips and tricks to keep you safe when shopping this festive season.

The calendar follows research by the bank that found 41% of British adults report more scam approaches in November and December, with criminals pocketing £85.9 million last year. Phones (26%), event tickets (23%) and gift cards (23%) topped the list as the most common purchase scams, but scammers aren’t picky. Everything from handbags to hoovers could leave you out of pocket and empty-handed.

The calendar also packs expert advice behind every door: skip dodgy pop-ups, scrutinize web addresses, talk to friends and family, never pay by bank transfer, and avoid suspiciously low prices.

Fronting the campaign video are stars from Season 1 of The Traitors, Hannah Byczkowski and Wilf Webster. Experts in the art of deception, the two have teamed up with NatWest to raise awareness of purchase scams and share advice on how to avoid the festive fraudsters.

Stuart Skinner, Fraud Expert from NatWest, advised: “We all know that now is the time of year when a lot of us will be shopping; either for a Black Friday deal or getting ahead of our Christmas shopping list. We want the UK public to feel confident in taking action today to keep their money safe, so we’re reminding everyone to watch out for purchase scams.”