The best advice that we can offer for preventing yourself becoming a victim of fraud, is to slow down and give yourself time to think. If something doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t. With fraud – this element of speed, needing a quick response, or negative events unfolding if you don’t respond immediately, are all tools used by the fraudster to give their victims less time to think and make an informed decision.
If you’re not sure, then hang up the phone, delete the text and don’t click on the links in the email.
In an attempt to keep you safe from fraudsters this Christmas, our Financial Crime team have highlighted the following scams to keep in mind:
At this time of year, most of us are in a hurry and more concentrated on what we need to do than on our surroundings. You should always be aware of who can see over your shoulder when using a cash machine, ticket collection machine, or anywhere where you are using your debit or credit cards. With crowded shops and queues at machines, it’s easier for a fraudster to loiter close to a machine and blend into the crowd. Try not to allow anyone to see the details that you are keying in and if you believe that a machine has been tampered with then report it to the building owner and don’t use it.
Shoppers looking for a bargain might be making use of social media marketplaces and groups. It’s always a good idea to do your research on the seller before handing over any money. You could ask your friends or other group members for references and if possible don’t send a complete payment in advance.
Email scams offer the fraudster the opportunity to send their fake email to thousands of people at once. Many phishing emails hope to panic the recipient into doing what they ask – usually sending money or crypto currencies.
In some cases, the email may threaten to release incriminating videos or content to the persons colleagues or family unless they pay up. Some people genuinely believe them and are scared into making payments. If you interact with anyone who then attempts to blackmail you then this should be reported to the police.
With Christmas sales promotions in mind, many of us will see our inbox filling up with special offers and enticing discounts. In this environment it is easy for a scam email to avoid your attention. One way to make yourself more secure is to get into a habit of visiting your favourite websites by entering their known web address, instead of clicking on a link in an email. You should also look out for confirmation emails whenever you make a purchase online and contact the company if you don’t receive one.
Keeping an eye on your bank account is always worthwhile and you should be checking that each purchase has been deducted, and for the correct amount. Keep an eye on those ‘auto-fill’ facilities on your phone and computer too. It can be worth switching these off as although they save time, they can allow you to enter details into forms that you didn’t intend to.
If you’re considering the purchase of tickets for a concert or event, always try to purchase from an official seller and if you see tickets available at a cheap price, be cautious. The re-selling of tickets can be legitimate however fake sellers are often seen to advertise cheap tickets and once they’ve received your money, it’s easy for them to disappear. Always keep the unwritten rule at the back of your mind – ‘if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is’.
This involves the person receiving a text or email asking to pay for postage or redelivery for an item. It can be a common scam on the run up to Christmas as most people now order online so the fraudster has a reasonable chance that you’ll be expecting a parcel delivery. These texts and emails are designed to get a customer’s card details. Usually this is followed up by a phone call pretending to be the customer’s bank and they are able to use the fact that they already have the card details to appear more legitimate.
Again the advice here is to give yourself time to think. If you are at all concerned that there may be a problem with your delivery, then contact the company that you purchased from or the delivery company directly if you know who they are. Many firms, such as Royal Mail, now have scam advice on their website.
This scam involves QR codes and sometimes takes place at unmanned car parks. People are often in a hurry when paying for parking, especially at this time of year when struggling with handfuls of shopping. A QR code can seem like a quick and easy way of paying. Scammers have been known to place a sticker over the genuine information which leads people to enter their card details, and quite often a One Time Passcode, that signs them up to a random subscription. It is also possible that the victim could suffer a parking fine. Be aware of anything that looks to have been tampered with and if you’re suspicious then don’t use it.
As a Cumberland customer, if you suspect that you’ve been a victim of fraud then please call us on 01228 403141 (Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm and Saturday 8.30am to 4pm) or visit your local branch as soon as possible to discuss how we can help. If your call is out-of-hours then please leave a voicemail explaining the problem and leaving your name and contact number.
You can also report Fraud and Cyber Crime via the national Action Fraud website.
Further information about protecting your personal details, and more scams to look out for can be found on our website.