Learn how to spot and avoid the latest internet scams with these five tips
TODAY is Safer Internet Day – but how careful are you online?
With so many new scams every day, it’s never been more important to look after your hard-earned cash.
The TSB Bank’s director of fraud prevention, Paul Davis, offers advice to keep your money out of fraudsters’ hands.
SOCIAL SCARES: On social media, you don’t know if you’re in contact with the genuine person or if an advert is legitimate.
Purchase fraud is the biggest category of fraud in the banking sector.
Facebook Marketplace leaves consumers particularly vulnerable as payment is by bank transfer.
It’s better, if you can, to view the item and pay in person.
TEXT TROUBLE: A huge 72 per cent of impersonation fraud is scammers posing as friends or family via text, urgently asking for help with household bills.
In one case, a scammer impersonated the victim’s daughter to request money for a wedding — info they found via the victim’s social media.
Always contact the person directly to check it’s them.
Most read in Money
DELIVERY DRAMA: Scammers relentlessly impersonate delivery companies.
Typically, texts say, “Pay £1.99 to receive” or “Input your details to get your item”.
Once they have your personal information, they will use it in a follow-up phone-call scam for a bigger fraud attack.
Don’t click on links, don’t provide any details.
EMAIL AGONY: Watch out for carefully impersonated emails.
So-called “invoice fraud” sees scammers divert cash you send to plumbers, builders or other tradesmen into their pockets.
They hack business emails and enter your inbox posing as the company you’ve been dealing with, but with a request to send money to a new account.
Victims not only lose cash, they still have a bill to pay.
COMPETITION CRUSHERS: Info gained from competitions can be the start of a scam.
Ones where you’re asked to pay a fee for your “prize”?
Forget it, there is no prize and your money is stolen.
Rules to remember
- DO be suspicious of any “out-of-the-blue” messages.
- DON’T click on links, definitely don’t provide any personal or banking information.
- DO remember that social media scams are rife. Be wary of random profiles and resist “too good to be true” investment messages.
- DON’T send money to someone without contacting them directly first, to guarantee the payment reaches the final destination.
- DO pay attention to messages from your bank. The name-check technology for bank transfers contains important fraud checks.
- DON’T let the person on the other end of the phone, text or email, rush and panic you. Have a cup of tea and think it through.
- All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability
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