While the Cyber Protect team exist to protect our communities against technical crimes like account compromises and device hacking, it is important to recognise that there are lots of other online crimes which you should be aware of and can protect yourself from.
Scams and frauds are on the rise and nationally account for almost 50% of reports to the police each year. Often targeting the most vulnerable in our communities, scammers will contact us by phone, computer, post, and even at our front door. The majority of scams pressure us to make a quick, one-off decision to part with our money or personal details for a promise of a service or product that does not exist.
If you suspect you have been the victim of Fraud or Scams, immediately contact your bank by dialling 159 as they may be able to protect your money and even recover or refund lost funds. 159 works in the same way as 101 for the Police or 111 for the NHS. It’s the number you can trust to get you through to your bank, every time.
You can find out more about Fraud and Scam Webinars further down on this page.
Fraudsters aren’t fussy. They’ll pick on anyone
Nobody is immune from fraud. The criminals behind it target people online and in their homes, often emotionally manipulating their victims before they steal money or personal data. But there is something we can do. By staying vigilant and always taking a moment to stop, think and check whenever we’re approached, we can help to protect ourselves and each other from fraud.
Just like with the rest of our cybercrime advice, one of the most important things you can do is set up 2-Step Verification (2SV, also known as 2-Factor Authentication/2FA or Multi-Factor Authentication/MFA) on all of your online accounts. 2SV can help to protect you from cyber criminals by asking for more information to prove your identity when you log in to your online accounts.
It provides a way of ‘double checking’ that you really are the person you are claiming to be when you log in. Turning on 2SV creates double the work for criminals trying to access your online accounts, even if they know your password. And it’s easier than you think for someone to steal your password. Even if you’ve always looked after your passwords, they can still be stolen through no fault of your own.
We recommend turning on 2SV for your email and social media accounts, as well as any accounts that contain lots of personal or sensitive information. Often online banking has 2SV enabled by default but do double-check if you are unsure.
NEVER GIVE 2SV CODES OUT OVER THE PHONE
They should only ever be typed into an online login page, after you have set out to log into a platform or take some other action of your choosing. Do not click on unsolicited links and enter 2SV codes into the page they load.
Common Fraud Types
There are all kinds of different frauds and scams, but it is useful to know some of the most common ones. In almost all cases, they involve unsolicited contact and use the same kind of psychological tricks to pressure you into acting impulsively and urgently. Some of the most common types are:
Courier Fraud
Courier fraud occurs when a criminal contacts you by phone and convinces you that you are required to hand over money or your debit/credit card for a legitimate reason to someone who will pick this up.
You’re contacted by phone from someone claiming to be a police officer or someone from your bank. The caller might be able to confirm some easily obtainable information about you such as your full name and address. The Police will never ask you to obtain gift cards or to move or withdraw money. You can always verify a Police Officer’s identity by dialling 101 to speak to the relevant Police service.
More about Courier Fraud – Take Five to Stop Fraud
Romance Fraud
Romance fraud is when a criminal uses a fake profile to form a relationship with you.
They gain your trust by appealing to your compassionate side, finding out personal information about you and creating fake stories so it seems like you have a lot in common. Criminals sometimes target widow and divorce pages. They will almost always have an alibi for why they can’t meet you in person.
More about Romance Fraud – Take Five to Stop Fraud
Investment Fraud
Criminals create fake investment opportunities to convince you to put your money into investments that don’t exist. You could be contacted by phone, email, social media message or WhatsApp. You might also see adverts on search engines and social media. They will often use fake images or even ‘deepfake’ videos of celebrities like Martin Lewis to convince you that they are good idea. The old adage of ‘if it looks too good to be true then it probably is’ should be kept in mind.
More about Investment Fraud – Take Five to Stop Fraud
Holiday Fraud
Holiday fraud is when a criminal impersonates trusted websites or creates fake adverts to trick you into booking a holiday through them, giving them your money or personal information.
Most holiday scams take place online. Criminals set up fake websites that appear to sell flights in the UK and overseas, holiday packages, accommodation, and tour operator packages. They may also post fake advertisements on trusted websites, hoping you’ll click on them and pay the criminal directly, rather than through the genuine site.
More about Holiday Fraud – Take Five to Stop Fraud
Invoice and Mandate Fraud
Invoice or mandate scams happen when criminals pose as your builder, solicitor, tradesperson or someone from a trusted organisation and provide you with new or amended bank account details. You’re then tricked into sending money to the account, which is controlled by them.
These scams often involve a criminal intercepting emails, gaining access to your supplier’s email account or pretending to be from them (also known as spoofing). They affect individuals and businesses alike.
More about Invoice and Mandate Fraud – Take Five to Stop Fraud
Telephone Scams
Scammers will often try and reach you over the telephone. Smart Caller ID on Android mobile telephones will show more information about the number calling you, including if they have tried to withhold it. If you receive lots of scam calls, contact your telephone provider to find out what services they can offer to assist in reducing the number of them. Your local Police service may be able to assist vulnerable individuals at risk of scams by providing a free TrueCall call-blocking device.
It is also really important to recognise that the telephone number displayed on your telephone is not necessarily true – it is easy to spoof the Caller ID and criminals do this regularly, often impersonating your local area code to convince you it is genuine.
Finally, if ‘your bank’ calls you, the genuine bank will never mind if you hang up and call them back while scammers will do everything they can to keep you on their call. Hang up, wait at least 30 seconds (on a landline, in order to ensure the line has cleared) and then dial your bank using the number on the back of your card or on 159.
Fraud & Scam Webinars and Events
Our friends at West Sussex County Council’s Digital Safety & Fraud Prevention Team have lots of useful information on their website. They also run regular webinars (available to all) and in-person events in West Sussex, including their excellent ‘Are you scam savvy?’ event. Read more on the Digital Safety & Fraud Prevention Team website, or book to attend their events on their Eventbrite page: