Stop Scams & Fraud

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 tool and report all scams to the Action Fraud website at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. Do not give any personal information including (name, address, bank details, email, or phone number) to anyone you do not know. Even if they say it’s the Tax man, police, Bank, energy company, or government. Never share your banking […]

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 to help people involved in the Ukraine war crisis https://www.unicef.org.uk and https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukraine-what-you-can-do-to-help Cost Of Living 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. The latest scams include receiving a text,

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 anything else to claim the payment. If you’re eligible, you’ll automatically receive the money straight into your bank account. Energy Rebate There has been a rise in scammers claiming to be from one of the ‘big six’ energy companies, as well as Ofgem. They send emails, using official logos, claiming

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, logos, and branding can be a sign that materials have been copied Vague information on what happens to donations Asking for donations using cryptocurrency, gift cards, or direct bank transfers The Cyber security firm ESET has published a list of scam websites All these sites should be 100% avoided. If

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 a decision always ask for the company details to confirm if they are genuine. Check the details at the FCA website https://register.fca.org.uk/s/ or use the FCA scam checker https://www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart/warning-list Never make a decision to invest money under pressure, if you get the feeling the investment is a scam don’t invest. Always speak to

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 suspicion. Legitimate organizations will never text you to ask for your personal or banking details. Contact the organization directly If you’re unsure, contact the company that claims to have sent it. Use the official contact details listed on their website. Don’t reply Replying to a fake text, calling the number or

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 number has been compromised or is invalid. You are asked to press 1 to speak to an ‘advisor’ where you will be transferred to the scammer. An automated message purportedly from a criminal agency, saying that your National Insurance number is going to be suspended and your assets seized. The

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 ask you to click on a link included in the email which will take you to the scammer’s website to steal your identity and money. Payment Transfer Request: You receive an email, Whats app, or text asking you to complete a payment transfer for a product or service you have not

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 control of your computer remotely and adjust settings to leave your computer vulnerable. Request credit card information from you so they can bill you for false services Direct you to a website and ask you to enter credit card and other personal or financial information there. Scam Advice Microsoft or

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 a new number as their phone was lost or damaged, going on to ask for money to purchase a new phone or claim they need money urgently for another reason, such as to pay a bill. Sometimes the scam can also occur when a scammer hacks someone’s WhatsApp, instant messaging

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 cryptocurrency exchange website where the criminal will ask you to buy cryptocurrency via a website they own and run which is designed to look like a real and authentic website similar to https://crypto.com or https://www.coinbase.com which are authentic cryptocurrency exchange websites. Once you visit the criminal’s fake cryptocurrency exchange website they will pressure you

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 specialist, victims are directed to download the Anydesk Remote app to their telephones, so that the fraud specialist can assist in cancelling the transactions. The Anydesk Remote app provides the scammer with access to the victim’s mobile telephone, computer which includes bank and other accounts stored on the device. Once

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 and bank account details, they also may try and install some software on your mobile device or computer. Do not speak with anyone with an Indian accent claiming to be from Amazon Never share your personal or bank account details Do not allow anyone to install software or an app