Scams Awareness Fortnight

This year, the focus is on scams that have emerged due to the coronavirus outbreak, as scammers look to exploit fears surrounding the current situation.

 

The below websites have information on the latest scams:

 

• Friends Against Scams
• National Trading Standards

 

Type of scams

 

Thousands of scams get circulated every year. Some of the most common types of scams include:

 

• Investment scams
• Pension scams
• Phone scams
• Post and email scams
• Doorstep scams
• Relationship scams
• Fraud recovery scams

 

What to look for

 

It’s not always easy to spot a scam, but there are few things you can look out for:

 

• Requests to share your bank account details or verify a password or PIN
• Time-limited offers that ask you to act quickly
• Out of the blue offers
• Scammer emails will often be filled with random numbers or misspelt
• Prizes for competitions you haven’t entered
• Unsolicited or unexpected contact
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is

 

How to protect yourself against scams

 

There are other steps that you can take to help protect yourself from being scammed:

 

• Never give out personal information
• Make sure your devices have up to date anti-virus software
• Ensure all accounts have strong passwords
• If you’re unsure about a financial services company, check the FCA register
• Ask for ID if anyone comes to your door
• Make sure websites are secure and start with HTTPS, not just HTTP
• Don’t respond to scammer emails otherwise they’ll know the account is active

 

For more information on what to look out for and how to protect yourself, visit Money Advice Service.

 

The Police

 

• If the scammer is in the area or you’ve transferred money to the scammer in the last 24 hours, you should contact 101.
• If you feel threatened or unsafe, you should call 999 and ask for the police.

For more information on reporting scams click here.

Other organisations who can help

 

If you’ve been a victim of a scam, some organisations can offer support including Age UK and Citizens Advice.

 

It’s important to remember that scams can occur at any time and happen to anyone.