DEVON and Cornwall Police are warning residents to be vigilant against pension fraud.

Criminals are actively targeting people's life savings, with data from Action Fraud showing significant losses to this type of crime.

​In 2024 alone, there were 519 reports of pension fraud, with a total of more than £17.5 million lost.

This works out to an average loss of over £33,000 per person.

If you've made a payment to a potential scammer or revealed any of your personal or financial information, inform your bank or pension provider as soon as possible, Devon & Cornwall Police say.

‘They can help prevent further losses’, says a spokesperson for the force.

‘You can call 159 to connect directly to your bank's fraud department’, the spokesperson added.

If you believe you have been contacted by a scammer or are concerned about a potential pension scam, report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

You can report a suspicious text message by forwarding it for free to 7726

You can forward suspicious emails to [email protected]

To best secure your online pension account, Devon & Cornwall Police recommend using a strong, unique password that isn't used anywhere else; consider creating a password using three random words.

And make sure to enable two-step verification (2SV) for an extra layer of security.

For more information on how to stay safe from scams, visit Stop! Think Fraud at stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk