Fraudsters are using Facebook to SPY on you, NatWest bank warns
Criminals and crooks are watching your social media to find out about your life and steal your cash
CROOKS and fraudsters are using Facebook and other social media sites to spy on potential victims and steal their cash.
A new report from Natwest has revealed the newest money scams that Brits need to be aware of in 2018 and beyond.
And top of the list is social media spying.
The bank says it expects to see more and more criminals targeting Brits in an "increasingly personalised" way by exploiting how much info they give away on sites like Facebook.
For example if a fraudster spots that someone is moving house soon, they'll know it's likely they'll have a large amount of cash hitting their account soon and could pretend to be their solicitor in order to get the funds transferred to them.
Brits are also being targeted via their smartphones.
Dodgy software - known as "malware" - which crooks use to spy on victims' browsing habits has been a danger to PC and laptop users for a long time, but it is now being seen on mobiles too.
Bogus investments linked to Brexit is also a worry - Natwest warns that Brits should be wary of emails from scammers saying that leaving the EU will hurt their savings and they need to transfer their money to a "Brexit-proof" bogus investment instead.
And with the World Cup in Russia now just months away, football fans are being warned not to be taken in by fake ticket and travel sites that are offering amazing prices at knock-down prices.
Julie McArdle, Natwest security manager, said: "Financial fraud is now the most common crime in the UK, and we want to help our customers understand the different types of scams that might emerge in 2018 and how they can best protect themselves.
The eight money scams you need to know about in 2018
HERE'S the full list of money scams, Natwest is warning about:
1. Social media spying
2. Malicious software on smartphones
3. Bogus Brexit Investments
4. Fake World Cup tickets
5. Money mules
6. Royal Wedding fever
7. Dating scams
8. First-time buyers
"Scammers are dogged in their attempts to get their hands on people’s money and are always looking for new ways to get ahead. This means banks and customers need to evolve alongside scammers too.
"By being aware and staying ahead of scammers, we can stop them winning and keep the country’s money safe and secure."
As excitement grows around the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, scammers will also try and and take advantage of couples who are also planning on getting married with fake websites offering cheap deals.
Earlier this year the Sun Online reported on the online dating vigilantes who expose fraudsters conning those looking for love out of thousands of pounds.
Top tips for banking online
NATWEST has put together these tips to help you stay safe online.
1. Be vigilant. Just because someone knows basic personal details (such as names and addresses or even a customer’s mother’s maiden name), it doesn’t mean they are genuine.
2. Customers should always follow their bank’s security advice and never provide remote access to their device when asked to do so following a cold call.
3. Customers should be cautious with what they disclose on social media and take precautions to ensure that their profile is private and only viewable to people they know.
4. We advise that customers should keep their mobile devices’ operating systems up to date to ensure that they have the latest security patches and upgrades.
5. A genuine bank or organisation will never ask a customer to transfer money for fraud reasons or contact them out of the blue to ask for their PIN or full password.
Stay in control and have the confidence to refuse unusual requests for information.
And Natwest is also warning about the dangers of online dating - with scammers creating fake profiles to form a relationship with their victims and then use their details to take out loan and credit cards in their name.
Other scams the bank has flagged include "money mules" - where youngsters inadvertently let their bank account be used to launder money - and scams where first-time buyers are targeted by pretending they're their solicitors and getting them to transfer money over.
Back in January, Natwest urged its customers not to be taken in a scam, which saw fake messages put into genuine message threads.
More on money
In November, it was announced bank customers who are tricked into transferring money to a fraudster could find it easier to get their money back.
Currently, victims have no legal right to get their money back if they are conned into transferring money by bank transfer.
But the Payments System Regulator (PSR) is considering introducing a compensation scheme for victims.
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