Edinburgh ranked safer than Glasgow in the Barclays Digital Safety Index

Launched today, the Barclays Digital Safety Index score is based on the ability of 6,000 UK adults to protect data, devices, accounts, and to spot digital threats.

Respondents in Edinburgh and Glasgow were asked to complete a digital safety test − similar to the hazard perception tests encountered by people taking driving theory exams − and answer questions about the steps they take to protect their devices from online threats.

On average, people from Edinburgh scored 6.25 in the test, lower than the national average score of 6.27, but higher than Glasgow which scored 6.05.

With scores ranging from 1-10, (10 being the maximum safety score), the bank warned that there is still plenty Scots could be doing to improve their digital safety.

In Edinburgh, 12 per cent of respondents had experienced bank account fraud, one in ten had been a victim of a purchase scam and just under 10 per cent had fallen foul of a safe account scam where fraudsters claiming to be from their bank call and advise them to move their cash because of an issue with their account.

In Glasgow, bank account fraud again topped the poll with more than one in ten people affected. 11 per cent of respondents had experienced scams in relation to an online shopping account while 10 per cent has been targeted through payment accounts.

Overall, city dwellers are more at risk of cybercrime than those living in the country, 20 per cent of rural residents claim to have experienced an online scam or fraud in the past three years, compared with a UK average of 25 per cent.

Behaviour also plays a key role. Rural dwellers in general show more awareness and caution in how they behave online, scoring more highly in our Digital Safety Index as well - averaging a 6.49 score compared with city average score of 6.02.

Across the UK as a whole, digital familiarity may be fueling online complacency, with the survey also revealing a generational ‘digital safety gap’ between younger and older respondents. On average, people scored 6.27 in the test, but digital awareness scores for the oldest age bracket (over 65s) were some 25 per cent higher than the youngest age group tested (18-24 year olds), putting to bed the notion that older people are more at risk of being “duped” by cyber criminals.

And only 17 per cent of all respondents were able to score full marks in the question asking them to correctly identify digital safety hazards: from online pop-ups and games, spam or “phishing” emails and “smishing” texts or social media messages that trick users into sharing personal details or downloading malware that leave devices vulnerable to hackers.

To encourage the nation to consider its own digital vulnerability, Barclays is calling for the public, police and businesses across the UK to unite and tackle this growing issue of public concern and has today launched a multi-million pound Digital Safety drive.

Jamie Grant, head of business and corporate banking at Barclays, said: “The Barclays Digital Safety Index identifies the UK’s most vulnerable to cybercrime for the first time.

“With Scotland lagging behind in the Digital Safety Index and residents most commonly falling victim to bank account fraud, it’s evident that more needs to be done to improve awareness of both cybercrime and cybersecurity in this area.

“This is why we are encouraging everyone, even the most confident of digital users, to take our test and learn how they can stay safe in our digital age.”