Hackers don’t care if you’re a one-man band or a big firm — they just want in

Monday, 29 September 2025 20:13

By David Murphy

Credit: David Murphy / Roch Valley Radio

Rochdale's award-winning IT support provider, No Fuss IT, based on Queensway in Rochdale, is warning residents to step up their online defences, as new figures reveal a steep rise in cybercrime affecting people across the UK, from pensioners and parents to small businesses and young professionals.

David Binks from No Fuss IT says cybercrime has moved beyond major corporations and is now hitting everyday people, often without them even realising it.

“We’re seeing people caught out by scam texts, dodgy links on social media, or emails that look completely legit,” he told Roch Valley Radio. “They’re not targeting just the big names anymore, they’re targeting you, me, and your nan.”

New figures from the Office for National Statistics show more than 2.4 million UK adults fell victim to some form of cybercrime over the past year. Meanwhile, Action Fraud reported over £1.3 billion in losses due to online scams.

David says phishing emails remain the most common trick, but the tactics are evolving. He points to a growing number of people in Greater Manchester being hit by fake investment schemes, hacked Instagram accounts, or fraudsters pretending to be parcel companies, banks or even local councils and solicitors.

“A lot of people think they’re too smart to fall for it, until it happens. The problem is these scams are designed to look familiar. One wrong move and they’re in your inbox, your bank, or your personal files.”

Despite increased awareness, many victims still don’t take action. David says people often ignore warning messages, continue using old passwords, or don’t report suspicious activity.

He’s calling on Rochdale residents to update their login details, stop reusing passwords across sites, and be more cautious about what they click.

“You don’t need to be an IT whizz. Just be cautious. And if something doesn’t feel right, stop.”

No Fuss IT provides support to small, medium and enterprise businesses throughout the UK, learn more on their website https://www.nofussit.co.uk