Advice about Scams

In light of the Corona Virus pandemic, we have seen new doorstep scams appearing in our community. Doorstep scams take place when someone comes to your door uninvited and offers you goods or services to scam you out of your money. These scammers aren't always pushy and persuasive, they may seem polite or friendly and even offer to help.

Trading Standards have been made aware that there are cold-callers (people going door to door) who are offering to 'help' by going for groceries but these people are scammers who will take your money and never return.

If you have not requested a reputable service/ someone you trust to do this for you and a stranger comes to your door unannounced asking to do your shopping- just say no!

If you need someone to collect your groceries, ask a trusted neighbour or access an organisation in your community who are providing these services. For information about accessing these local services please contact Dial-OP Information line on 01382 305757, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm who will provide essential information on the support available for the elderly and those who are more vulnerable.

It is important to be vigilant when you answer the door, especially if you live on your own. Do not fall victim to this scam.

Protect yourself and be scam savvy(!)

• Only let someone into your home if you are expecting them or they are a trusted friend, family member or professional. Don’t feel embarrassed about turning someone away.
• Don’t feel pressured. Don’t agree to anything at your door or hand over money at the door. Think about it, talk to someone you trust or call trading standards for advice on 01382 436260
• Don’t share your PIN. Never disclose your PIN number or let anyone persuade you to hand over your bank card or withdraw cash.
• Call the police. Call the police non-emergency number 101 if you’re not in immediate danger but want to report an incident. But call 999 if you feel threatened or in danger.

Take a minute. Think about the offer (even if it’s genuine). Do not be embarrassed to say NO or ask them to leave. Scammers are constantly finding new ways to trick people and doorstep scams change all the time. If you have been the victim of a scam don’t be embarrassed to report it. It can happen to anyone.

If you know of anyone who could benefit from his information please remember to pass it on.

Scammers can call you on your mobile or landline, claiming to be from trusted organisations. They may already have some of your details which they use to convince you they are legitimate. If you ever get a call from someone claiming to be from your bank, they will never ask you for details such as your PIN or full online banking password. If you are unsure of the source of the caller hang up and call your bank (or other trusted organisation) from a phone number you have sourced yourself e.g. from a bank statement. If you get lots of these ‘nuisance’ telephone calls contact Trading Standards who can provide further advice on the technology used to block such calls (Call Blockers) and regain some peace in your home.

If you are unsure if a call is a scam ask yourself these questions:

• Is the call unexpected and is the person a stranger?
• Are they being vague about their identity?
• Are they asking for my personal information?
• Are they asking for my financial information?
• Are they asking me to send money?
• Are they rushing me to make a decision?
• Are they asking me to keep quiet about my win or good fortune?
  

If you can answer yes to two or more of these questions then hang up the phone. Don’t worry about being polite. If it is urgent and from a genuine caller they will manage to get in contact through another means.

A text might not be from who you think- criminals pretend a message is from you bank or another organisation you trust. They usually tell you there has been fraud on your account and ask you to deal with it by calling a number or visiting a fake website to update your personal details. Your bank will never send you texts like this, so next time something suspicious pops through, do not click any links and contact your bank on a number you know to be correct such as the one listed on your statement, their website or on the back of your debit card. You may receive texts from the NHS in coming days telling you, you must stay at home. Please ensure this is from the NHS. If you are unsure do not click any links provided.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Is the message relevant to you?
• Do you recognise the sender?
• Does the message come from a number that is abnormally long?
• Does the message request any personal information?
• Does the text message contain links?
• Is it creating a sense of urgency?
• Are they offering to refund you money or randomly?
• Are there any grammatical errors?

If you can answer yes to three or more of these questions do not respond via the text message and do not click the links. Alternatively, find alternative sources of the links for example go to trusted sources such as www.gov.uk.

Our inboxes often receive a number of unsolicited emails and whilst most are harmless, it is a good way for scammers to ‘phish’ for information. Typical scam emails appear to come from your bank or another trusted source, right now they will be related to covid-19 or the Corona Virus and will look very convincing. Little details such as them using ‘dear customer’ instead of your name and the email address of the sender can be giveaways, as can poor spelling and strange formatting in the email. Never click any links if you are unsure, and don’t download any attachments unless you are certain what they are. If in doubt delete the email or contact the alleged source from a number/email you have sourced yourself.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Is the Person contacting me a stranger?
• Is the stranger based in the UK?
• Is the email about winning money, or a prize or is it saying you are own them money?
• Is the email claiming you can earn thousands from home?
• Do I have to send money before I receive what they are offering?
• Is the return address somewhere abroad?
• Is the sending urging me to respond quickly?

If you can answer yes to two or more of these questions do not respond to the email. The person or organisation will get in touch through other means if it is important.

From online shopping and banking through to alarmist ‘pop-ups’, the internet gives scammers a number of ways to commit fraud. The general rule of thumb is to ignore and close all pop-ups when generally browsing. The same goes for websites that you are directed to from unsolicited emails.