Types of Scams

This article has a list of scams that are really common. It will only take a couple of minutes to read and you will be better equipped to avoid any scammers potentially heading your way!

Impersonation scams

During an impersonation scam, fraudsters pretend to be a figure of authority to convince you to part with sensitive information. Scammers are most likely to impersonate bank staff or the police saying your money is unsafe and you have been hacked but they can help.

Banks and other organisations will never call you or send messages of this sort, so if you are approached, then hang up and call your bank. The number is on the reverse of your bank card.

Jobs scams

Social media adverts and emails offering jobs that ask for a fee are always a scam so only go direct to well-known employment companies.

Loan fee fraud

With loan free fraud, scammers charge victims a fee for fake loans that they never receive and also then have your bank details for other types of fraud.

Lost phone scam

Scammers are impersonating children and targeting parents to send them cash. The message will have a generic opening such as "Hello Mum" or "Hi Dad". They'll claim that they've lost their phone or their phone is damaged and that is why they're messaging from a different number. Parents are then asked to send money urgently for various reasons to a different bank account as due to their phone loss they cannot use their on-line banking and using their friends bank account.

Parcel delivery scams

Criminals pose as legitimate delivery companies to convince victims they need to pay additional fees or reschedule a delivery, in a bid to access their cash, personal information or bank details. Of the 40 million UK adults targeted by scammers in the first quarter of 2023, almost half (49%) encountered this kind of scam.

Ghost Insurance Brokers

Young drivers being quoted high insurance motor premiums by real insurance companies are falling for Ghost Brokers - scammers who sell invalid car insurance policies at unrealistically low prices. After making a sale, scammers send fake insurance documents, or take out a real policy but falsify details such as age, address and history to bring the premium down. Most drivers do not realise they have been scammed until they need to make a claim.

False Train Ticket scams

Advertised on Facebook offering a £3 gift card for a year travel. A false Great Western Railway claim a limited number of these are available to attract instant buy but all that happens is that your personal and banking information has been stolen.

Romance or lonely heart scams

Romance scams occur when a scammer adopts a fake online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust. The scammer then uses the illusion of a romantic or close relationship to manipulate and/or steal from the victim. These scams usually run for weeks or months to build trust and then a request for money due to some spurious mishap is made by the scammer. Never send money to someone you have not met face to face no matter how genuine it seems and do not give in to emotional pressure

Phishing

Scammers impersonate legitimate organisations or individuals to trick victims into providing personal information such as passwords, credit card numbers, or social security numbers.

Investment scams

Scammers offer fake investment opportunities promising high returns with little or no risk, often targeting inexperienced investors or those seeking quick financial gains.

Lottery or prize scams

Victims receive notifications claiming they have won a lottery or prize but must pay fees or provide personal information to claim their winnings, which are non-existent.

Tech support scams

Scammers impersonate tech support representatives and claim that victims' computers are infected with viruses or malware, offering to fix the issue for a fee or by gaining remote access to the victim's device.

Charity scams

Scammers exploit people's goodwill by soliciting donations for fake charities or causes, diverting the funds for personal gain.

Remember if it sounds too good to be true - it probably is!