Scam tricks: email, phone and text message traps to watch out for



Updated on 13 November 2017

Fraudsters try and fool us in many different ways. Here are some of the devious tricks to beware of over the phone, in emails and in text messages.

Telephone scam tricks

Telephone scams, or ‘vishing’, involve you receiving a call out of the blue and someone trying to trick you into handing over your personal details.

Here are some of the common tricks used by criminals to make that call seem genuine.

Hold music

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau is warning that fraudsters are using background hold music to make scam calls sound more convincing to victims.

Organised crime groups are impersonating banks and using the new trick to defraud people.

It's a worrying sign that scammers are getting more sophisticated in mimicking banks and building societies, says Stephen Proffitt, deputy head of Action Fraud.

“Fraudsters are constantly developing new ways to make their calls more convincing so members of the public need to remain vigilant," he says.

"If you receive a cold call purporting to be from your bank, always end the call as soon as possible and call your bank back using the number on the back of your bank card or statement and ask to be put through to the fraud team.

"Tell them exactly what has just occurred. If you believe your bank details may have been compromised, you should report this to your bank immediately.” 

Helplines

Some scammers try and trick you into calling them instead.

Last month, the National Trading Standards eCrime Team warned about a new ‘printer helpline scam’, which involved fraudsters putting out fake helpline numbers through social media and on search engines to trick people into calling up for assistance.

Since victims had made the call they weren’t suspicious when the people on the ‘helpline’ said they needed remote access to solve the technical issue.

This access allows the fraudster to steal personal details or even infect your computer with malware and holding the victim to ransom.

To stay safe, you should make sure you always use official numbers provided by the company from the official website or packaging and literature.

For more read: Printer helpline scam – how to stay safe

There’s been a security breach

Scammers may also prey on your fears to convince you to hand over details you never normally would.

Commonly fraudsters will impersonate your bank and claim there has been a security breach and you need to act fast. In the panic, you may hand over personal information like your account number or even your PIN.

Remember that your bank will never ask you to share personal details over the phone. If you get a call like this hang up and report it to Action Fraud.

Email scam tricks

Text and WhatsApp scam tricks

Social media scam tricks

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