Protect yourself against fraud and scams
Summary: Scams can come in many forms, but all are designed to obtain access to your money or personal details. The key to protecting yourself is recognising when something may be a scam and knowing what to do if you think you might have been the victim of a scam.
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Some hints and tips to help you stay vigilant
- Your bank or the police will never ask you to provide your bank details over the phone. If you receive a request like this, end the call and phone them back on a number that you know is theirs – not a number the person calling gives you.
- Before you respond to anything asking for personal information, ask yourself why they need your details and whether the call is expected.
- Be cautious when clicking links in emails, scammers will often try to get your sensitive personal information using fake invoices. Even if an email looks legitimate, be careful before clicking any links.
- If you receive anything like a calling card through your door asking for personal details – think twice before sharing anything.
- If someone knocks on your door or calls claiming that someone you know needs help or money, it’s extremely unlikely to be legitimate.
- Don’t make any advanced payments until you are sure the company you’re dealing with is legitimate.
- If you receive a call, just because someone knows your name or postcode doesn’t mean they are calling for a legitimate purpose.
- Make sure all of your accounts have a strong password, don’t use the same password for multiple accounts and change your passwords regularly.
Useful contacts that could give you more information:
Action Fraud
You can also call the charity on 0300 123 2040
Citizens Advice
You can also call the charity on 0344 411 1444