Entrepreneur John Donald sells robotic falcons around the world but still can’t believe that he fell victim to cyber-crime during the coronavirus pandemic.
The tech-savvy grandfather said he was targeted by fraudsters when his family business was struggling to cope with a 95% fall in its turnover.
The 72-year-old was deeply suspicious but eventually caved in to their demands and transferred nearly £100,000 to a fake bank account.
He told BBC Scotland: “When my wife came through the door just at the end of this process, she thought I was having a nervous breakdown. It was very, very stressful. I wouldn't wish it on anybody.”
New figures released by Police Scotland show there has been a 68% increase in fraud since 2018, with 17,000 cases recorded last year - the vast majority online.
Senior officers at Police Scotland believe cyber-crime is massively under-reported and the latest figures represent the tip of the iceberg.
It has become such a challenge that the detection rate for fraud has halved in recent years and now stands at roughly 16% of cases.
Police Scotland is investing an additional £4.3m in its cyber-crime strategy to buy new equipment and provide training for all of its operational officers.
The force has also drawn up a protocol to ensure its use of new technology is ethically sound.
