Fraudsters sell non-existent products at discounted prices to attract buyers. The victim intentionally makes a payment, but for products which do not exist and will never arrive.
Criminals rely on the anonymity of the internet to advertise non-existent goods on websites (including auction sites) and social media.
They’ve also been known to clone genuine websites or use paid advertising to lure customers to a fake website.
What to look out for
Do some research to find out what a fair price is for similar goods in the same condition. If the offer sounds too...
A romance scam is a type of fraud where someone pretends to be romantically interested in a victim to gain their trust and then ask for money or personal information. Scammers may use dating apps and social media to create fake profiles and gain the trust of their victims.
Here are some signs of a romance scam:
Grooming period
Scammers spend time building trust with their victims before asking for money.
Personal information
Scammers may ask for personal information like copies of passports or driving licenses.
Stolen photos
Scammers may use stolen photos of attractive people. You...
Impersonation scams are a common type of scam where a criminal pretends to be a friend, family member, or other trusted person to trick you into sharing personal information or sending money. In family impersonation scams, the scammer might:
Pretend to be a family member, often a child
Start a believable conversation
Say they're messaging from a new number because their phone was lost or damaged
Claim they're short on money or late paying bills
Pressure you to send money immediately
Use a generic opening like Hello Mum or Hi Dad
Ask you to send money to an account
Ask you to...
You’re convinced to make a payment or give personal and financial details to someone claiming to be from a trusted organisation such as your bank, the police, a delivery or utility company, communication service provider, a government department such as HMRC or someone you trust such as a friend or family member.These scams often begin with a phone call, text, message or email that appears to be from a trusted organisation or person. A criminal might say your bank account is at risk and ask you to move your money to a ‘safe account’. They might get in touch impersonating a police officer,...
A recovery scam is a type of fraud where a victim is contacted and offered to help recover stolen money in exchange for an upfront fee. Recovery scams are a type of advance-fee fraud, where the victim is promised a larger sum of money in return for an initial payment.
Here are some tips to help you avoid recovery scams:
Be wary of unsolicited contact
Don't trust anyone who contacts you out of the blue, especially if they offer to help you get your money back.
Be skeptical of promises
Genuine agencies will not ask for fees to recover lost money.
Check the contact details
Genuine...
Rogue traders are criminals who pretend to be legitimate traders or salespeople to con people. They offer goods, services, or repairs, but have no intention of carrying out anything in return for your money.
Here are some warning signs of a rogue trader:
They refuse to give you a written quote
They pressure you into an urgent decision
They don't have a website or any online presence
They say they're doing some work locally, but you cannot go round and see their work
If you think you've been the victim of a rogue trader, you can:
Contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on...
1. Don’t reply to messages from the scammerFirst, don’t reply to any messages from the scammer, even if they keep trying to contact you. Replying to scammers in any way may open you up to more scams or even expose your device to malware.2. Change your password and security questionsTo help prevent a scammer from getting access to your email account, choose a new secure password and update your security questions. Changing these important security features should automatically lock out any other devices currently logged into your account.3. Set up 2FASetting up two-factor authentication...
You may have arrived at this post because you received an email with an attached PDF from a purported hacker who is demanding payment or else they will send compromising information—such as pictures sexual in nature—to all your friends and family. You’re searching for what to do in this frightening situation, and how to respond to an apparently personalized threat that even includes your actual “LastNameFirstName.pdf” and a picture of your house.Don’t panic. Contrary to the claims in your email, you probably haven't been hacked (or at least, that's not what prompted that email). This is...
Sextortion scams are a type of phishing attack whereby people are coerced to pay a BitCoin ransom because they have been threatened with sharing video of themselves visiting adult websites. These scams are made to appear all the more credible because they provide seemingly plausible technical details about how this was achieved, and the phish can sometimes also include the individual’s password.Phishes are designed to play on people’s emotions so that they will behave in a way which is out of character, and scams such as this are no different. The phisher is gambling that enough people will...
Between now and 2025 the majority of telephone providers will be moving their customers from old analogue landlines to upgraded ones using digital technology, this is part of the digital switchover. You don’t need to do anything until your provider tells you your telephone service is changing, or until you decide to change your telephone service. However, we have been made aware that scammers are calling residents with health care devices claiming they need to hand over bank details as part of the switchover, or they will be disconnected. The digital switchover is free of charge, and councils...
You’ll receive a call from someone pretending to be from your bank or the police, telling you they’ve spotted some suspicious activity on your account, or that your card needs to be replaced. They may also say that the bank or your local branch are involved in the fraud. They’ll ask you to call the bank or police back directly. However, they’ll stay on the line, so you’re actually still speaking to them. You’ll be asked for your PIN or details of your accounts, then the fraudster will send a courier to pick up your card, which they’ll be able to use because they’ll now have all the necessary...
You’ll be cold-called and asked whether you’d like to release cash from your pension, or access your retirement savings before you reach the age of 55. The government has banned pensions cold-calling, so if you are contacted out of the blue, it’s a scam
Rogue raders
any doorstep criminals pretend to be
from a legitimate business, usually property
maintenance and repair. hese traders
knock at the door uninvited and may tell the
householder that urgent work is required
on the property or drive. he work is often
unnecessary and completed to a very poor
standard. A low price is normally quoted
initially and often escalates to an extortionate
figure once the work has commenced. They
put pressure on the victim to pay immediately.
If you have a problem with rogue traders
take action immediately. Don’t pay the
bill and contact rading tandards who...
Bogus callers target vulnerable
people in their home, arrive uninvited
and pretending to be from legitimate
companies. heir main aim is to distract
the occupier, get into the home and steal
from them without them realising it.
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