RBS launches Edinburgh campaign to target scammers conning Scots

The Royal Bank of Scotland has issued a striking visual reminder to Scots to stay safe online, as research reveals one in four don't have their smartphone password protected.

The projection across Dundas House. Pic: Supplied on behalf of RBS.

As the busiest shopping period of the year approached, the study by the bank also found that nearly 40% of young people aged 18-34 in Scotland are worried about becoming a victim of online fraud in the next year.

RBS has just launched a campaign with a large-scale projection across its historic Dundas House home in the city's St Andrew Square, to remind Scots to stay safe in line.

With a Big Brother-style eye blinking in the background and the words ‘hacker’, ‘blagger’ and ‘cyber thieves’ darting in and out of view, the security campaign aims to remind the public that one in six Scots have been the victim of online fraud.

The statistics, contained within Royal Bank’s Mobile Microleisure Report, also reveal that one in four Scots don’t have their smartphone password protected.

And as many as 39% of young people aged 18-34 in Scotland are worried about becoming a victim of online fraud in the next 12 months.

RBS is encouraging shoppers to stay safe online by taking simple precautions such as changing passwords regularly, checking reviews or feedback from the seller and ensuring they have the latest security functions such as fingerprint login and Face ID.

The campaign, which begins as the busy festive shopping season approaches, was launched on the eve of a special edition of STV’s Stopping Scotland’s Scammers show.

The Black Friday edition of the STV show aired at 8pm on Monday night.