Scam Alert: How to protect yourself

Advice is being issued today following an increase in reported banking scams.

The cost of living crisis means that more people are becoming vulnerable to criminals using sophisticated methods to target victims. Fraudsters use pressure techniques to make unknowing targets panic into taking risky action.

This has sadly seen a number of people falling victim to these unscrupulous scams.

Anyone can become a target, please do read the advice to help protect yourself against fraud and scams.

Below we highlight:

• What you can do to keep yourself safe
• What to do if you’ve fallen victim 
• How the scams work

What can you do?

Take action:

• Always question unsolicited requests for your personal or financial information. Just because someone knows your basic details (such as your name and contact details), it doesn’t mean they are genuine. Instead, contact the company directly using trusted methods such as a known email address or phone number.
• Legitimate organisations wouldn’t ask you to pay taxes, bills or fees using an iTunes gift card, or any other type of voucher. If you’re contacted by anyone that asks you to do this, you’re likely the target of a scam.
• If you are being rushed or pressured into making a decision, this is likely to be a scam. Under no circumstances would a genuine bank or some other trusted organisation force you to make a financial transaction on the spot.
• Report Phishing attempts. If you receive a call, text or email of this nature and have not lost money, you can report this as phishing to Action Fraud

How you can protect yourself:

• Don’t click on the links or attachments in suspicious emails (look at the email address, it will usually look similar to a genuine organisation or familiar contact but there will be additional or missing letters or words)
• Never respond to messages that ask for your personal or financial details.
• Don’t assume a phone call or email is authentic, even if someone knows your basic details (such as your name or address). Remember, criminals can spoof phone numbers and email addresses to appear as companies you know and trust, such as TV Licensing.
• Your bank will never call and ask you for your PIN, full banking password, or ask you to transfer a passcode to anyone else or transfer money out of your account.

What to do if you’ve fallen victim:

•  Let your bank know as soon as possible and monitor your bank statements regularly for any unusual activity.
• If you suspect your identity may have been stolen you can check your credit file quickly and easily online. Use a reputable service provider and follow up on any unexpected or suspicious results.
• If you have been a victim of fraud or cyber crime, report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk, or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Don’t fall for their tricks.

Read on to find out about scams and what you can do to stay safe.

How the scams work

• One of the most common methods we see involves a fraudster posing as your bank or the police. They claim there’s been fraud on your bank account and you need to act quickly to protect your money.
• Their solution is for you to transfer your money to a so-called ‘safe account’. But the account is actually controlled by the fraudster and when you move the money, they steal it.
• In a twist on this scam, the criminal asks you to assist in a police investigation of supposedly corrupt staff in a bank or foreign money exchange, who they claim are issuing fake currency.
• You’re then asked to visit the branch and withdraw a large amount of cash and take it home, where it is collected by a fraudster posing as a policeman or a courier.
• To make their call appear genuine, fraudsters often use a tactic called ‘number spoofing’. This enables them to alter the phone number from which they are calling so that it matches your bank’s number. Then they ask you to check your handset display in an attempt to convince you it’s a real call.

Other common phone scams include:

• Being told that your computer has a virus or that your internet connection is running slow. The fraudster then takes control of your computer to ‘fix’ the problem, but instead actually installs software which steals your data. They may also watch you as you’re asked to log into your online banking account.
• Claiming that you’re due a refund or compensation for poor service, such as for your internet connection. They get your bank details, but then say they have accidentally sent thousands of pounds, rather than hundreds, an error which will cost them their job. They then ask for the difference to be refunded via a wire transfer.

How to stay safe

• Fraudsters can sound extremely professional and will do all they can to convince you that their call is genuine.
• But there are some simple steps you can take to keep safe.
•  It’s really important to be wary of any unsolicited phone calls, especially when they ask for your personal or financial details.
  Remember – your bank or the police will never:
• Ask you to transfer money to a new account for fraud reasons, even if they say it is in your name.
• Phone you to ask for your 4-digit card PIN or your online banking password, even by tapping them into the telephone keypad.
• Ask you to withdraw money to hand over to them for safe-keeping.
• Send someone to your home to collect your cash, PIN, payment card or cheque book if you are a victim of fraud.
• Ask you to purchase goods using your card and then hand them over for safe-keeping.
• If you are given any of these instructions, it is a fraudulent approach.
• Hang up the phone, wait five minutes, then call your bank or card issuer on a number you trust – such as the one on their website or on the back of your bank card.
• Your bank will also never ask you to check the number showing on your phone’s display matches their registered phone number.
• Criminals may already have some information about you, for example your name and address. So don’t assume that a call is genuine just because they have these details or because they claim to represent a legitimate organisation you use or a person that you know.
• Never feel pressurised into making a quick response; scammers will sometimes try to hurry you into taking action. A genuine organisation will always give you the time you need to make an informed decision.
•  If you’re ever at all suspicious about a call, then just hang up the phone.
• The UK banks, building societies and card issuers, with the support of the police, have published a Joint Declaration which clearly explains those requests they will never ask of you on the phone.