Scammer Watch

Scammers can be anyone, anywhere, and can use various methods to trick people into giving them money or personal information. It is essential to be cautious when dealing with unknown people, especially online. This blog post will look at some effective ways to avoid getting scammed by scammers. Educate Yourself The first step to avoid getting scammed is to educate yourself about common scams. Scammers use different tactics to defraud people, and knowing how they operate can help you avoid falling for their tricks. Some common scams include phishing emails, lottery scams, fake charities, investment scams, and romance scams. The Read More

WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems used by millions of websites around the world. However, due to its popularity, it is also a common target for hackers. If your WordPress site has been hacked, it can be a stressful and overwhelming experience. In this blog post, we will show you how to fix a hacked WordPress website Step 1: Identify the hack The first step is to identify the hack. This can be done by scanning your website with a security plugin or by manually checking your website’s files and directories. Look for any suspicious files, Read More

Scammers come from all over the world, and they come from diverse backgrounds. The rise of the internet has made it easier for scammers to target people regardless of where they live. Some scammers operate as individuals, while others operate as part of organized criminal groups. Many scammers come from countries with weaker economies and high levels of corruption. In these countries, it may be easier for scammers to operate without fear of consequences from law enforcement. Additionally, scammers from these countries may be motivated by a desire to escape poverty and improve their financial situation. However, it is important Read More

QR codes have been around for over 25 years however 2020 saw an increase in usage due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to eMarketer, QR code scans nearly doubled to 25% in 2020 up from 13% the year prior as they made looking at menus, product information, services, events, and much more a lot easier as people just scanned the QR code without touching anything that could be contaminated. It is also estimated that QR code scanning will increase by more than 19% to 99.5M in 2025 from 83.4M in 2022. Scammers have realized that QR codes have become very popular Read More

Ukraine Donation scammers are taking advantage of the Ukraine war to scam people out of money. Action Fraud estimate that they have received around 200 reports of fake requests to fundraise for victims of the Ukraine war with scammers asking people to donate money via a scam donation website or via text or by calling a premium rate telephone number. Never click on the links or attachments in suspicious emails or respond to messages which ask for your personal or financial details. You can find lots of useful information at the following official websites if you wish to donate money Read More

The following tips will help you stay safe online from scammers who are working 24/7 and ripping people off every day. There has been a massive increase in activity from scammers who are ripping thousands of people off on a daily basis using a wide range of techniques to profit from and fund criminal activity. If it’s too good to be true then it’s a scam A majority of scams come from Indian call centers and romance scams come from Nigeria. Read the Met police little book of big scams which includes a lot of useful information to protect you offline. Use the citizen’s advice free scam check Read More

With the increase of malicious cyber, hacker, and scammer activity online it is more important than ever to use good password security practices to protect yourself online. Hackers and scammers are working 24/7 trying to exploit and take advantage of innocent people around the world. These people are criminals with no shame, morals, or ethics they don’t care how they exploit you as long as they get your personal information in order to steal your money Having a secure and strong password that is changed on a regular basis reduces the risk of getting your accounts hacked. Also using different Read More

Getting scammed by a scammer is not a nice experience it can have a negative impact on your overall personality, confidence, and mental health. You may feel a sense of shame or embarrassment that someone has managed to abuse your trust in order to steal your money or even take your life savings. Remember anyone can fall victim to a scammer, the important thing is to turn this negative experience into a positive experience which may help other people from becoming a victim. Important Information Make a note of any important information including the phone number the scammer calls you Read More

Phishing is a fraudulent practice used by hackers and scammers who send emails or messages via SMS text, WhatsApp, or social media accounts claiming to be from reputable companies or government agencies like the HMRC, UK government, Amazon, PayPal, Netflix, NHS, and so on in order to induce individuals into revealing personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers so they can steal your identity or all your money. How Do You Spot a Phishing Scam Everyone can get caught out by a Phishing scam whether it’s via email, text, or a social media message. cybercriminals send millions of Read More

A phone call scam involves a scammer who will cold call you claiming to be from the Bank, government, HMRC, Amazon, Mircosoft, or another well-known company. They will state one of the following during the call or include the information in an automated phone call answer message. There is an unknown transaction on your bank statement Your bank card has been exploited by criminals and needs the pin locking or card replaced Your bank account has been exploited by criminals You have an outstanding tax bill that needs to payed or you will face prison They may leave you an Read More

When scammers see an opportunity to rip someone off they will take advantage of it, and the cost of living crisis is a great way for criminals to take advantage of vulnerable people who need support during this difficult time. Don’t let the scammer scum take all your money read the following which will make you aware of the latest scams which are happening in 2023. Cost of living payments Beware of texts asking you to claim or apply for the cost of living help from https://www.gov.uk or the Department for Work and Pensions. You don’t need to apply or do Read More

Scammers are taking advantage of the Ukraine war to scam people out of money. Action Fraud estimate that they have received around 200 reports of fake requests to fundraise for victims of the Ukraine war with scammers asking people to donate money via a scam donation website or via text or by calling a premium rate telephone number. How To Spot A Fake Ukraine Scam Website Poor spelling and grammar included on the website Long, convoluted web or email addresses which do not look official Unsecure websites which display security  warnings on your browser when you visit them Blurry images, Read More

Investment scams involve someone cold calling you or sending you a text, WhatsApp, email, or social media message offering you the opportunity to invest your money in a great investment that comes with guaranteed returns, They will try every trick in the book to sound like they are from a genuine investment company, or broker and will use high pressurized techniques like “this is a limited time deal, you need to invest now to avoid loosing out, the deal needs to be closed today” to force you to make a decision to invest in their latest scam. Before you make Read More

The postal scam involves you receiving a text, WhatsApp message, or email from the Royal Mail or DPD to let you know that you have missed a postal delivery or would you like to pick up or rearrange delivery for a parcel. The postal, parcel scam is getting more and more popular every day and is used by scammers trying to rip people off. Scam Advice Don’t follow any links The most effective way to avoid text scams is to ignore links. Clicking on links could lead you to download malware and malicious software. Don’t share personal information Treat all messages requesting sensitive information with Read More

While romance scams aren’t new, their popularity continues to rise. Scammers often steal someone’s identity or create fake profiles on dating and social media apps to meet victims in order to gain your trust and steal your money. After gaining your trust, they may ask you to buy them something or send them money. Recently, some scammers have posed as investors and shared false investment tips with their victims, which could lead you to invest in a fake opportunity. Or, the person may “mistakenly” send you money and ask you to send it back or forward it to someone else. Read More

The HMRC tax scam is a popular one used by scammers trying to exploit people Some of the most commonly reported HMRC scams include the following An automated message saying that HMRC is filing a lawsuit against you. You are asked to press 1 to be connected to a caseworker which is normally a scammer based in India. A cold caller telling you that you are being charged with tax fraud. In order to avoid court action you are asked to send a copy of your passport and to pay over £1,000 An automated message saying that your National Insurance Read More

Paypal is a popular way to buy and sell products, and services online and is used by millions of people around the world. The scammers have come up with a number of ways to scam people out of money using PayPal including Order Confirmation: You receive an official-looking email from PayPal requesting you confirm the order you have made. The email will include a website link that will take you to criminals’ websites where they will try and install a virus, or malware on your computer and steal your money. Password Reset: You receive an email from PayPal asking you to reset your password. They Read More

The Microsoft support scam involves the scammer calling you claiming to be a computer-security expert from Microsoft or another legitimate company. They’ll say that your PC, laptop, or tablet has been infected with malware (or a computer virus), and that they can help you solve the problem. The scammer may try on the following on you Trick you into installing software that will capture your sensitive data, such as online banking user names and passwords. They might also then charge you to remove this software. Ask you to visit a website to download software that will allow them to take Read More

The friend-in-need scam (also known as ‘Hi Mum’ or ‘Hi Dad’) is a popular method of fraud in which a scammer texts from an unknown number, posing as a friend or family member. The scam is particularly effective as it preys on people’s kindness and desire to help their friends and family. These scam messages may come through via WhatsApp, iMessage, or text messages (SMS). Typically, the scammer, posing as a friend or family member, begin the message with ‘Hello Mum’ or ‘Hello Dad’ – sent from an unknown number. They will then tell the recipient they are texting from Read More

Everyone is talking about Cryptocurrency and how to make money from digital currency as a consequence scammers have also realized they can rip people off by using a variety of Crypto Currency scams. The first one involves giving free bitcoins away via social media which asks you to visit a website to confirm your identity. The website will ask you to enter your personal and bank account details. While you are on the website the criminals will install malware, and viruses on your PC or mobile device and steal money from your bank account. The next scam involves a Fake Read More

A scam involves a scammer from India who sends a text message to the victim claiming to be from Amazon. The text message claims to be from Amazon stating they will be charged for an Amazon purchase. In the text, victims are provided with a toll-free telephone number to cancel the purchase. The victims, who never made the Amazon purchase, called the toll-free number to cancel the charges. When they called the number to cancel the order, a subject impersonating an Amazon employee connects them to someone impersonating an Amazon fraud specialist. In speaking with the subject impersonating the fraud Read More

The amazon prime subscription scam has been around for a while now. The scam involves the scammer making fake automated phone calls claiming to be from Amazon, telling customers their Prime subscription is due to expire, and that payment will be automatically taken from their account to renew it. The recorded message asks you to press one to cancel or two to speak to customer services. The call then goes through to an Indian call center which includes a group of people waiting to scam you into claiming they are from Amazon.  They will ask you for your personal details Read More