EXPERTS from the Yorkshire Building Society branch in Barnsley are holding an event to help people learn more about financial fraud and scams, how they can protect themselves and what to do if they are misled by scammers.

The event, which will take place at the branch on Cheapside at 10am next Friday, is open to members of the public as well as Yorkshire Building Society customers and will include advice on how to spot common types of financial scams.

Colleagues will also be holding a bake sale and a ‘coffee and chat’ session where customers can ask questions.

Research suggests that almost three-fifths of UK adults have experienced some form of scam, with online scams being the most common, followed by phishing attacks and identity theft.

Whilst those aged 55-plus were the most likely to have been targeted by an online scam, younger people aged 18 to 34 were the most likely to be deceived by a scam.

Those who report losing money to a scam said they lost an average of £344, rising to £420 amongst those aged 18 to 34.

Hannah Bingle, financial crime awareness specialist at Yorkshire Building Society, said: “Most people have come into contact with a financial scam at some point in their lives, and fraudsters are using many different techniques to try and get to people’s information and money.

“By hosting our fraud and scams awareness session, we hope to reach as many people as possible in Barnsley to help them understand more about this issue and help them protect themselves against scams and financial fraud.

“We’ll be talking about how to spot fraud and scams, actions people can take to keep themselves and their money safe, and what to do if you are worried you have been scammed.”