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CAN YOU SPOT A SCAM? 

Have you been contacted out of the blue?

·  Cold Calls or unexpected e-mails should raise suspicion, especially if personal/payment details are requested

·  Legitimate organisations/businesses will not normally contact you for sensitive details unexpectedly

·  If you are not certain about the contact’s identity, hang up

Are you being asked to provide personal details?

·  Do not share personal/ sensitive details with a contact if you cannot confirm who they are.

·  Phone Scammers may try get valuable details from you to steal money from you, or use your details for Identity Fraud

Are the Contact Details vague or suspicious?

·  Scam websites often have imprecise contact details  such as Premium Rate “09” numbers, PO Box numbers, or use mobile numbers

·  Always look out for unusual email addresses on unsolicited emails

Look out for spelling and grammatical errors in emails 

·  Messages full of spelling and grammar errors are usually indicative of a Scam message

·  Genuine Organisations/Businesses will rarely make such unprofessional errors 

Is an offer too good to be true?

·  Scams usually offer big returns for small financial commitment

·  Beware of Scam Voucher offers from Retailers and Supermarkets, has it been sent from a genuine email address?

Are you being pressured to commit or sign up?

·  Fraudsters will usually try to force a quick decision, do not be pressurised but say you need a break to consider the “offer”

·  Genuine Sales persons will normally give you time to make your mind up. Have you been offered a cooling off period on the deal? 

IF YOU THINK YOU ARE BEING SCAMMED OR DO NOT RECOGNISE THE CONTACT

·  STOP: Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.

·  CHALLENGE: Could it be fake? It’s okay to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.

·  PROTECT: Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a Scam, and report it to Action Fraud.