The holiday season is a time for joy and celebration, but it’s also a prime opportunity for fraudsters to strike. No one is immune from their schemes; they often target individuals using emotional manipulation to steal money or personal data. However, by staying vigilant and taking a moment to stop, think, and check, we can help protect ourselves and each other from fraud.
Are You at Risk?
Fraud accounts for nearly 40% of all crime, and in just one year, 1 in 16 adults in England and Wales were victims of fraud*—almost 3 million people. It’s important to remember that fraud can happen to anyone, anywhere.
*Source: Crime Survey for England and Wales, year ending June 2024
Fraud is Harder to Spot Than Ever
With technological advancements, fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated. Be aware that fake emails, adverts, and websites can look incredibly convincing. Some might even be indistinguishable from the real thing, making it more important than ever to know the signs of a scam.
The Internet Reveals More About Us
Our online activities leave a digital footprint that fraudsters can use to make their scams more convincing. During the holidays, when we’re busy shopping online and sharing festive moments on social media, we need to be extra cautious.
Phone Fraud
We are all used to being careful when clicking links in an email, but phone fraud is on the rise and is very sophisticated.
Phone fraud is when a fraudster calls or messages you, pretending to be someone you know or from an organisation you trust such as your bank or the police. They then convince you to hand over personal details, make a payment, give them access to your computer or follow a link to a fake website.
Be careful of these often-used tactics.
Software provider or phone company
- Who’s calling?
- Somebody claiming to be from your computer, internet, or phone provider.
- What’s the story?
- There’s a problem with your device, internet service or account, but they’ve spotted it and can help you.
- How do they defraud you?
- They tell you to download a software program or app that will fix the problem, but in fact that gives them access to your device. Now they can access everything you store on there, from photos and files to passwords and bank details.
Bank, credit card provider or HMRC
- Who’s calling?
- Somebody claiming to be from your bank, credit card provider, or the tax office (HM Revenue and Customs, or HMRC).
- What’s the story?
- There’s a problem with your bank account, credit card or you’ve committed a tax offence.
- How do they defraud you?
- They tell you the problem can be solved if you transfer money into a ‘secure account’ that’s been opened in your name, or if you pay a fine to avoid prosecution. In fact, the account you send money to belongs to the scammer.
The Police
- Who’s calling?
- Somebody claiming to be from the police.
- What’s the story?
- Criminals have cloned your bank cards, and they need your help with the investigation.
- How do they defraud you?
- They tell you to hand over your bank cards, PIN or cash to an ‘undercover officer’ or courier as evidence for the investigation. A variation of this might be asking you to make a high value purchase and hand that item to a courier. In fact, you’ve just handed your data, money or items to the fraudster.
How fraudsters make their calls so convincing
‘Number spoofing’
The fraudster calls your landline or mobile from a phone number that looks genuine. This is called ‘spoofing’. They change the number they’re calling from, so it appears on your caller ID as one you think you know and trust.
They know a bit about you
They might know a few personal details about you, so you believe they are who they say they are.
An emotive story
They have a convincing story for why they’re calling, often with a sense of urgency, that means you need to hand over money, personal details, or control of your computer.
Phone fraud checklist: what to look for
Phone fraud – sometimes called ‘voice phishing’ or ‘vishing’ scams – can be hard to spot. But there are signs that should make you suspicious. These include:
- the caller asking you to share personal or financial information
- the caller asking you to share a one-time passcode or PIN
- the caller asking you to give them remote access to your computer
- the caller trying to pressure you into making a payment or moving money
- the caller trying to rush or panic you if you ask questions or want proof of identity
- the caller asks you to phone the number on the back of your bank card to demonstrate that the call is genuine. This is a common technique where the fraudster keeps the existing phone line open.
How to protect yourself from phone fraud
Remember that genuine service providers, banks and the police will NEVER call asking you to transfer money, share personal financial details or hand over remote control of your computer.
If you are in any way suspicious, or feel pressured into anything, hang up and take time to check if the call is genuine.
If something that doesn’t feel right, STOP.
- Hang up
- Check if it’s genuine: contact the organisation directly using contact details you know are correct, such as those on a utility bill, official website or by calling 159 for your bank
- If possible, call on a different phone or wait for 10 minutes before calling your bank
- Don’t trust the Caller ID display on your phone – it’s not proof of ID
- Report it by sending a text to 7726 with the word ‘Call’ followed by the scam caller’s number, from a mobile phone.
Getting Your Money Back
If you’ve fallen victim to a scam & lost money, don’t panic. Contact your bank immediately and explain what happened. They may be able to recover your funds depending on how the payment was made. If you’re having trouble getting a refund, make a formal complaint to your bank and, if necessary, escalate it to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
For detailed information, please read more at these websites:
https://www.takefive-stopfraud.org.uk
https://stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk/
