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In recent times, there has been an upsurge in scams, some are obvious but many are subtle, and even the most savvy person can be caught out. The number one consideration is “if it’s too good to be true - it usually is”. Another one is why someone has contacted you - how did they obtain your details? Many have lost their life savings with the resulting carnage; this causes problems such as lost homes, broken relationships, psychological issues and worse.
What type of Scams are out there?
- Trading/investments: Such as crypto-currency, Forex, any online commodities. Anyone who offers this or arranges it would need to be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as it is a risky activity and authorisation is required in order to protect the general public
- HMRC / DWP threats: usually by email or text messages, which is the giveaway.
- Romance scams: usually the scammer says they are in the military or UN, and they need money for some reason. They show you a photo of themselves and their family.
- Inheritance scams - a long-lost relative has left you money? The scammers show you a fake court document with details of an up-front payment to “release” the funds.
- Job offers, usually an online job of some sort, and they contact you mostly via WhatsApp - they ask you to perform tasks, and you will be asked for money upfront.
- Your “bank” contacts you to say there is a suspicious activity, they ask you for your personal details and they may offer to install viewing software on your computer.
- fake holidays, fake property rentals, fake car advertisements - they usually ask you for money upfront.
- “sextortion”, the person has images of you, and they blackmail you into paying them.
What do I do if I have paid them already?
There is a chance your bank may be able to recall the funds, but it’s not guaranteed by any means. If they can’t then the only other option would be to try a scam recovery company, though it isn’t advisable to pay them up front. Have a look online for “scam recovery solicitors UK” and ask for no win no fee terms - that way you don’t pay up front and if they do not succeed, you do not pay anything else. If it relates to blackmail, the National Crime Agency’s guidance is to not engage with them, don’t pay them, block them from all further contact.
What if I am contacted by a company who claims they can recover my money?
This is very common but do not deal with them - they are highly likely to be related to the first scammer. They have your contact details already and they will ask you for an up front fee - this is the second stage of scam and is known as a “recovery room” type of scam : https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/recovery-room-scams. We would only recommend you use a law firm to recover your funds.
How to avoid being scammed
1. If you have already been scammed, change passwords for your email and online bank accounts.
2. Do not pay anyone who you have never met before.
3. Do not give any personal details to a cold-caller, no matter who they say they are from.
4. Ask for official Government-issued ID from them (passport, driving licence, etc.).
5. Never let anyone access your computer.
6. Do not pay upfront for anything - if it sounds too good to be true, it will be.
7. Be careful on social media, as most scammers operate on social media platforms.
8. Beware of scammers and cloned companies - they may have a website which is very similar to a legitimate company
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