How can victims of fraud recover for their mental health?

Being a victim of fraud can not only have a very bad effect on our finances, but it can also affect our physical and mental health and well-being.

Victims can experience a number of problems including anxiety, panic attacks, weight changes and sleep problems.

A research study of 2,100 fraud victims found that three out of five had poor mental health after the offence.

More than half of those whose mental health had been affected said they had experienced anxiety. Some of those affected also reported suffering from depression or a lack of confidence and self-esteem.

More than a quarter of fraud victims experienced physical changes as a direct result of losing money, including weight loss or gain, headaches and panic attacks.

Being a victim of fraud also led to sleep problems for more than two thirds of people, with more than one in five saying it had a significant impact on their sleep.

More people need to recognise how much toll fraud can affect a person’s mental health.

Stress can affect every aspect of your life, and it can easily become overwhelming if you don’t have a good support network around you.