British adults aged 34 and under are about twice as likely to fall victim to financial scams than any older age group, a new survey suggests.

About one in five 18 to 34-year-olds have been deceived by scammers, compared with around 10% of over-35s, according to an Opinium poll carried out for online bank Marcus by Goldman Sachs, as reported by Sky.

The bank said that, although 55% of this younger age group believe they are too tech savvy to be scammed, they are the generation most likely to give away personal information when pressured on the phone.

It said that younger people are more active in posting their personal details online than older adults, making them a target for fraudsters.

Talking to Punchline-Gloucester.com this morning, Roger White of Severnside Software Ltd in Gloucester, said: "Cyber security is a constant challenge. There's always something going on. It's worse than ever. It's making sure that customers do take it seriously.

"People need to be encouraged to spend more time in training, as well as anything that can be done to reduce the risk. Training will stop people clicking on dodgy links. Some of the email phishing attempts are very good."

The research also found that three in 10 UK adults have been targeted by scams which exploit the cost-of-living crisis.

Tactics used by cost-of-living scammers include emails claiming to be from regulator Ofgem asking people to enter their bank details to get a £400 energy rebate, or claiming the government is giving cash to people who are of pension age, disabled or on a low income.

Scam victims should talk to their bank or card company immediately if they have handed over any financial and sensitive information or made a payment.