More than one million Brits over the age of 45 have fallen victim to some form of email-related fraud Attack.Phishing , as the internet supersedes the telephone as the favored channel for scammers , according to Aviva . The insurer polled over 1000 adults over the age of 45 in the latest update to its long-running Real Retirement Report . Further , 6 % said they had actually fallen victim to such an online attack , amounting to around 1.2 million adults . Some 22 % more people it surveyed had been targeted by email rather than phone-based fraud Attack.Phishing . Aviva claimed this is important because the government is currently consulting on whether to ban cold calling in a bid to hit pension scammers . It highlights the need for regulators to address digital fraud at the same time , the insurer claimed . Over 20.6 million UK adults over 45 have been targeted by an email scam Attack.Phishing , versus nearly 17m via the telephone , Aviva calculated . Despite this , 69 % of respondents claimed technology has made life easier for them , in areas like managing their finances ( 66 % ) , travel ( 65 % ) and education ( 51 % ) . However , a sizeable minority claimed digital technologies are becoming too complicated ( 38 % ) , are not designed with their age group in mind ( 27 % ) and make them feel vulnerable ( 21 % ) . An Aviva spokesperson confirmed to Infosecurity that respondents were asked if they had ever been targeted by fraudsters – not just in the past year . No breakdown was given as to the type of scams they might have faced , although phishing Attack.Phishing and 419 fraud usually rank among the most common