Staying safe from scams
A scam happens when you're tricked into handing over your money or personal details to someone pretending to be a genuine person or company.
With the help of technology, scammers are becoming increasingly convincing. So, to help you stay one step ahead, we've shared some scams you should be aware of below, as well as some tips on how to spot and avoid them.
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Scams to be aware of
Investment and crypto scams
Investment and crypto scams are when a scammer encourages you to give them money to invest on your behalf.
The investment opportunity turns out to be fake and the scammer disappears with your money.
Scammers may also persuade you to take out a loan to fund this so-called investment.
Learn moreSocial media scams
There a few different types of social media scams, including phishing, which is when a scammer messages you pretending to be someone you know or a company you trust to get personal information or money from you.
Other types of social media scams include fake advertisements and romance scams.
Learn moreSuspicious emails, texts and calls
Scammers may use emails (phishing), texts (smishing) and calls (vishing) to trick you into handing over your personal information or clicking a dodgy link.
They usually do this by pretending to be from a company you know or trust, like your bank, HMRC or Royal Mail.
Learn moreRomance scams
Romance scams are when a scammer befriends you using a fake profile. They build a relationship with you over the course of weeks or months before convincing you to give them money.
Scammers use a range of tactics to gain your trust, such as sending gifts, offering compliments or sharing personal stories.
Learn moreHow to protect yourself from scams
Here are a few things you can do to reduce the chance of being scammed:
Think
Do you know the person or company you're speaking to?
Does what they're offering seem too good to be true?
Does the website you're on look trustworthy and secure?
Stop
Is the person or company you’re speaking to being pushy?
Are they asking you to share your personal details or give them money?
Act
Stop all communication and don't click on any links or download any attachments.
Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a scam, and report your concerns to Action Fraud.