Protecting yourself against scams
To help avoid becoming a victim of fraud, this useful article from The GOV website provides some helpful guidance.
Remember, if something doesn’t feel right about a letter or message you’ve received, it’s always best to ask a trusted friend or family member for a second opinion or give us a call. View our ‘Contact us’ page here.
The Government have given some advice on what steps to take when dealing with telephone calls, emails or letters.
Stop
- taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe
Challenge
- consider if it could be fake - it’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests - only criminals will try to rush or panic you
- the police, or your bank, will never ask you to withdraw money or transfer it to a different account - they will also never ask you to reveal your full banking password or PIN
- do not click on links or attachments in unexpected or suspicious texts or emails
- confirm requests are genuine by using a known number or email address to contact organisations directly
Protect
- contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud
- to keep yourself secure online, ensure you are using the latest software, apps and operating systems on your phones, tablets and laptops - update these regularly or set your devices to automatically update so you don’t have to worry
- Visit Take Five for more advice on how to protect yourself from fraud and Cyber Aware for advice on how to keep yourself secure online.