Scams come in all shapes and forms. You can be targeted in a number of ways, including by phone, SMS, post, online or in person. Yet there are also ways to protect yourself, by looking out for warning signs and reacting accordingly. If you ever receive a request to provide financial or personal data, then you need to act smart, and assess how trustworthy the request is. There are some basic rules to follow to keep yourself safe. Keep these tips in mind and you can ensure you are doing your best to keep yourself protected.
Phone Fraud
Fraud over the phone is referred to as vishing. You will receive a call from someone claiming to be from your bank, a government department, or any other well known and trusted organisation. The caller may advise you have been a victim of fraud, and you need to transfer money to a new account.
Such fraudsters may already have some basic information about you, which can make them seem genuine. However, you need to remember that a bank or other such institution will never ask you to divulge sensitive information, such as your PIN or full banking password.
Never reveal such sensitive details over the phone, even by tapping in the digits. You may find you are being rushed into action, making you feel uncomfortable or pressured. If you spot any of these signs, the best course of action is to hang up the call. You can contact your bank directly using the number printed on your card.
Sham Text Messages
Smishing is when fraudsters contact you by SMS, often pretending to be from your bank. Yet they can also claim to be from other trusted institutions such as the police force or tax office. In a similar way to phone scams, they aim to extract sensitive data from you.
Such text messages may contain a link to a website, where you will be promoted to enter personal or financial information, or to make a banking transaction. In other cases, you may be given a phone number which you are urgently advised to call.
If you receive such an SMS, you should not follow any links sent within the text message. These can link to dodgy websites where fraudsters will be able to collate any information you enter. Likewise, do not call any number given in the message. Take a moment to find the official website or phone number for the company that has messaged you, and contact them directly using the official contact details.
Email Scams
Referred to as phishing, email scams are one of the most common forms of online fraud. Like phone and SMS fraud, the message will supposedly come from a trusted source and aim to extract sensitive data from you. There are a few tell-tale signs to look out for to confirm whether an email is from a genuine source or from a fraudster.
Scam emails will be sent from an unofficial address, that may look similar to the organisation they are imitating, but will differ somewhat. The same is true of links found within the email. These will link to a website which may look official, but the address will be slightly different to the official address, perhaps only by 1 character. It is on these bogus linked websites that you will be promoted to enter private data, which will be used fraudulently.
Scam emails often use generic introductions, such as “Dear Sir/Madam”, rather than your full name. You will also find such emails contain numerous spelling and grammatical errors. Never follow links within such emails, and instead, access the official website of the company within a new browser. If you think you have received a phishing email, or a scam phone call or SMS, you should report it on the official Action Fraud website so that it can be investigated by police’s national fraud department.