11 Dec Latest News on Fraud and Scams
FROM BROMLEY NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH ASSOCIATION:
CYBER PARTNERSHIP FRAUD ADVICE
Social Media/Email – if hackers access your device or accounts, they could access your money, personal information, or information about your business. Improve cyber security:
- Use strong and separate passwords using 3 random words for your email etc.
- Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA).
- Update your devices and back up your data.
More information at: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberaware/home
Advance Fee Fraud – an umbrella term to describe a fraud type where criminals convince victims to make upfront payments for goods, services etc but the goods/services don’t exist. Many types are used; however, the numerous different tactics used by criminals means it’s worth describing basic techniques. The following list is not exhaustive:
Clairvoyant or Psychic Fraud– criminal predicts something significant in your future, but needs money to provide a full report.
Cheque Overpayment Fraud – criminal overpays for something with an invalid cheque, and asks for change.
Fraud Recovery Fraud – Once you’ve been a victim of fraud, the criminal contacts you, claiming they can recover your losses, for a fee.
Inheritance Fraud – criminal tells you you’re in line to receive an inheritance but you need to pay a fee to release the funds.
Loan Fraud– criminal asks you to pay an upfront fee for a loan.
Lottery Fraud – You’re told you’ve won a lottery prize but you need to pay an admin fee.
Racing Tip Fraud – criminal offers racing tips “guaranteed” to pay off, for a small fee.
Rental Fraud – criminal asks for an upfront fee to rent a property, that may not be theirs, or may not exist.
West African Letter Fraud (419 Fraud) – criminal asks for help moving a large sum from one country to another, promising to cut you in but asks for a payment upfront.
Work from home Fraud – criminal offers you easy money working from home but you need to pay a fee, in advance, for business leads or a website.
Vehicle Matching Fraud – criminal contacts you when you place an advert to sell something and ask for a “refundable” fee to put you in touch with a non-existent buyer.
Fraud Recovery – when someone who has been a victim of fraud in the past is contacted again by fraudsters. They pretend to be a government, police or law agency that can help recover lost money but ask for a fee to return it. If you’ve been a victim of fraud in the past, whoever took your money may keep your contact information and contact you again. This time, they’ll pose as an organisation made aware of your loss. They’ll claim they can arrest the fraudster or recover the money you lost. In either case, they say you’ll need to pay a fee first. This is a form of advance fee fraud; you’ll never receive any money back.
PROTECT YOURSELF
- Be wary giving money to anyone upfront, especially a stranger, for any reason.
- If they claim to be an official, check their identity but don’t use contact details they supply.
- Don’t be pressurised into making a decision, always take time to think.
- Be ready for fraud recovery scams if you’ve been a victim in the past. Challenge any calls, letters or emails from people you don’t know or companies you’ve never contacted.
- If you’re asked to pay or give your bank account details, end all contact
- Ask how they found out you are a victim. Fraud reports are protected by law and can’t be shared with anyone outside law enforcement agencies.
Remember –
- genuine agencies never ask for fees to recover money lost to fraudsters and don’t use webmail such as @Gmail or @Hotmail.
- criminals will try any lie to access your money.
Caution –
- fraudsters make their emails look genuine by including graphics and using official-sounding language.
- don’t give money upfront if you have even the slightest suspicion.
Think –
- how do they know that you have been a victim?
- why should I give this person money? Why have they targeted me?
WHERE TO REPORT SCAMS
Contact your bank by calling 159 – 159 works in the same way as 101 for police or 111 for the NHS. It’s a number you can trust to put you through to your bank securely every time. If you think someone’s trying to scam you into handing over money or personal details, hang up and call 159 to speak directly to your bank. Always report; scams, fraud and cyber-crime to Action Fraud, either online at www.actionfraud.police.uk
Telephone 0300 123 2040 – subscribe to the “Which” Scam Alert Service where you can receive free updates on current scams being used. Access: https://act.which.co.uk/ and locate “Scam Alerts newsletter” to register your details. Which will then provide practical advice to keep you one step ahead of fraudsters.
Request advice – and report it to Trading Standards through the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133 or online advice at www.adviceguide.org.uk
Citizens Advice provides free, confidential and impartial advice on consumer issues. It is important all complaints are referred to Citizens Advice as they maintain a national database that provides an invaluable source of information and intelligence. Details of all consumer enquiries dealt with by Citizens Advice are made available to Trading Standards
Report a text message you think is a scam – most phone providers are part of a scheme that allows customers to report suspicious text messages for free by forwarding it to 7726. If you forward a text to 7726, your provider can investigate its origin and arrange to block or ban the sender if it’s found to be malicious.
Report an email you think is a scam – if you receive an email you’re not quite sure about, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk
If you’ve been scammed through the post – Royal Mail investigates postal scams. If you’ve received something in the post you think is a scam, send it to ‘Freepost Scam Mail’. Include the envelope it came in and a completed scam mail report. Download a scam mail report from Royal Mail or call and ask for a form & pre-paid envelope.
If the scam involves financial services – cryptocurrency, investments, insurance or
pensions, report it to the Financial Conduct Authority – 0800 111 6768
Friends Against Scams – is a National Trading Standards Scams Team initiative that aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims of scams by empowering people to take a stand. More at: https://www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk/training/friends-elearning
REMINDER – MET ENGAGE
Met Engage, created between Neighbourhood Watch Network and the Met Police has been rolled out across London Boroughs. Sign up to choose information you want from the Police, see what’s happening in your area or pass on intelligence. It’s a 2-way platform so, for instance, if there’s a car theft on a given road, Police share an alert with people in that general area, at the same inviting anyone with evidence (sightings or doorbell footage) to upload it onto the portal, giving more opportunities to solve crime. Through Met Engage, you can communicate with your local officers, help shape how your local area is policed and have direct access to key information and advice. This isn’t just a platform for the Police to tell us what they’re doing, it’s an opportunity for you to tell the Police what’s concerning you most so they can act on things that matter to you. For more information, and to sign up for the service, go to the Met Engage section on our website.
ACTION FRAUD WARNING ON WINTER FUEL PAYMENTS.
Action Fraud receives thousands of reports relating to Winter Fuel Payment scams with losses totalling over £27,000. Winter Fuel Payments are made automatically, you do not need to do anything. If you receive messages about them, it’s a scam.
AMAZON WARNING
When a scammer pretends to be a trusted company and reaches out to try to access sensitive information like personal/financial information or Amazon account details.
Tips to stay safe:
- Always use the Amazon mobile app or website for your shopping needs, including customer service, account changes, delivery tracking, and refund status.
- Remember, Amazon will never ask you to make payments or provide payment information (including gift cards) for products or services over the phone.
- Consider setting up 2-step verification (amazon.co.uk/2SV.), when available, to your online accounts to help prevent unauthorised account access.
- Save time and stay secure using a passkey. It’s a safer way to sign in than using passwords and it works with the same face, fingerprint or PIN you already use to unlock your device. Set up a passkey at amazon.co.uk/passkey.
- Scammers try to create a sense of urgency to persuade you to do what they’re asking. Be careful any time someone tries to convince you that you must act now.
Example Impersonation Scam tactics you may receive:
- Fake messages claiming to be about delivery or account issues.
- Third-party social media posts and ads with deals that seem too good to be true.
- Messages through unofficial channels asking for password or payment information.
- Unfamiliar links asking you to verify account credentials through fake or phishing websites. Amazon never emails customers to verify account credentials.
- Unsolicited phone calls claiming to be from tech support or other agencies.
Bromley Neighbourhood Watch Association