Protect against scams and fraud
Advice to spot the signs of the most common types or fraud and prevent you from becoming the victim of a scam.
Nobody is safe from fraud. Criminals target people online, on their phones, and in their homes, often emotionally tricking victims in an attempt to steal their money or personal data.
By taking a moment to spot the signs whenever you are approached, you can help to protect yourself and others from scams.
Common types of fraud
Doorstep crime
Doorstep criminals, such as rogue traders, cowboy builders and gardening scammers, cold call households offering deals to get you to agree to having work carried out.
If you accept work from a doorstep criminal, you will pay much more than you intended for very poor, unnecessary and sometimes dangerous work.
Paperwork is rarely provided. Advance payments are often demanded. Names, addresses and business details can be false. Phone calls might not be answered.
Never let a stranger who knocks at your door uninvited work on your house or garden.
Romance fraud
Most romance scams start on social media platforms or dating apps. The scammers create fake profiles to build trust with potential victims.
They often encourage victims to move the conversation away from the initial platform to less-monitored channels, such as WhatsApp or Telegram, before asking for money.
They invent reasons for needing money, such as for an emergency situation, funds for travel to come and see you, asking you to take out a loan for them in your name, and many more.
There will often be a false promise of paying you back.
Scam communications
Criminals often use scam emails, text messages or phone calls in an attempt to trick their victims.
These could be anything from a text from an unknown number in which someone claims to be your child who has lost their phone and is in danger, to someone claiming to be from a company or organisation.
They use information about you that is available online, including on social media sites, to make their messages more convincing.
Their aim is to either:
- make you visit a website, which may download a virus onto your computer or smartphone
- steal bank details or other personal information
- get you to make an online payment
Ways to protect yourself
Never automatically click on a link in an unexpected email or text. Banks and financial institutions, for example, will never ask that of you as a way to verify your bank details.
Do not give any personal information – name, address, bank details, email or phone number – until you are confident the person is who they say they are.
If someone has called you and you are at risk of being scammed – stop, hang up and call 159 to speak directly to your bank.
If you receive a text message from a suspected scammer, forward the message to 7726 as soon as possible. Also block the phone number and use the delete and report as junk option.
To prevent fraudsters from stealing your identity, destroy – and ideally shred – receipts with your card details on and post with your name and address on.
For information about online crime prevention, read keeping yourself safe online.