Beware of Scams
Useful Tips
Software updates on your devices may contain vital security updates. Always update your device as soon as one is available. Don’t miss a trick - be ScamAware.
If you are suspicious of a text, it can be forwarded to 7726. You will receive a reply from your mobile phone company asking for the number the text was sent from. So do not delete it just yet.
Suspicious emails should be forwarded to report@phishing.gov.uk.
Scammers target everyone and see charities as a weak link. Below are links to various websites and online documents that provide information to help you protect yourself against online and telephone scams.
Stop! Think fraud
Nobody is immune from fraud and cyber crime. 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 by text, email, phone, or online, we can help to protect ourselves and each other from fraud and our accounts from being hacked. You can visit the Home Office national campaign against fraud. Stop Think Fraud
Recent Scams
Online Shopping Scams This time of year sees an increase in online shopping and unfortunately there will be an increase in online fraud & cyber crime - shoppers lost over £10 million pounds to cyber criminals over last year’s Christmas period.
Fake websites and online marketplaces are common hunting grounds for criminals looking to con you:
• It’s not a bargain if you spend money on something that doesn’t exist.
• Always do your research and if something seems cheap, ask yourself why – if something looks too good to be true, it probably is.
• Use safer payment methods such as credit cards / PayPal so that if something goes wrong you might get your money back.
Herts Police are noticing that social media and email hacking is on the increase where a criminal might access your account. Help keep yourself safer by setting up a 2-step verification process – this means, for example, when you go into your account using your password you’ll also have a code sent to your mobile to confirm it’s really you.
A quick search online will show you how to easily do this for your email, WhatsApp, banking and other online accounts.
Having different passwords for different online accounts and emails makes sense but the reality is how do you remember all the passwords?
• Password manager apps are your friend!
• Another option is to write down clues to jog your memory for your passwords (not written out in full!), but don’t keep this next to your device.
The advice from the National Cyber Security Centre is to use 3 memorable words – you can be inventive by combining three random words to create a password that is easy to remember but hard to crack, such as “MarysL!ttleL4MB” or “Spr0ut$.Are.Yuck!”.
WhatsApp Scam Hertfordshire Police have seen an increase in frauds and are issuing advice for the WhatsApp verification code scam:
Criminals might be posing as a member of a WhatsApp group you’re in. They write persuasive messages designed to lure you into disclosing your verification code. Once the criminal has this code, they can login to your WhatsApp account and lock you out. They will then use the same tactic with your WhatsApp contacts to steal more accounts and use them to commit fraud.
Methods include the criminal:
• Claiming that the code was sent to you in error and asking you to help them by sending it to them.
• Notifying you through messaging about an ongoing upgrade on the WhatsApp group and requesting that you share the code you've received
• Calling you to inform that a verification code has been sent to prevent your account from being hacked and to request the code is shared with them
• Sharing web addresses in WhatsApp groups and instructing or persuading group members to click on them to update their information by providing a code that is sent to them.
• Instruct you or your group members that the code you have just received is needed to attend a meeting. This is a popular tactic with recruitment scams.
What you need to do:
• Never share verification codes
• Enable Two-Step Verification: Two-Step Verification adds an extra layer of security to your WhatsApp account. To enable it, open WhatsApp > Settings > Account > Two-step Verification > Enable.
• Verify requests: Call the person before acting - make sure you really know who the person is.
• Educate friends and family: Awareness is crucial in preventing such incidents.
• Never click on any links in unsolicited WhatsApp messages.
• You can report the message by selecting it in your conversation list and tapping ‘report’.
Delivery Scam A delivery company calls and asks if you are going to be in as they have a parcel for you. Within the hour a driver appears with a basket of flowers and a bottle of wine, no idea who it is from but there is going to be a card to follow. He asks for £3.40 so he can prove the delivery has been made to an adult as there is alcohol in it. He can't take cash as the transaction has to be provable so he produces a hand held card reader. You put your card in and type the PIN and get a receipt. A couple of days later your account has been cleaned out.
Unless you know who it is from beware of unexpected deliveries.
Check whether Your Email Has Been Hacked An international operation involving the National Crime Agency has taken down one of the biggest online marketplaces selling stolen credentials to criminals worldwide.
As a result you can check if you have been affected:
You can check whether your data has been compromised and accessed by criminals on Genesis Market by visiting Check your hack and inputting your email address.
This is a Dutch Police website - forces in Europe and across the world have worked together to bring down this criminal enterprise.
If your email address was on the list on the online market place, within minutes the police will notify you at that email address. Check both your inbox and your spambox for an email from the police. If you do not receive an email from the police, your email address was not on Genesis Market.
If you do receive an email back as a result of checking on this link you are encouraged to report it to Action Fraud. See link below.
TV License Scams Information on how to detect TV License scams can be found from this link. TV License Scams.
Mobile phone offers: You receive a call from someone claiming to be from your mobile phone provider offering a big discount on a new phone. They then use your account details to purchase a new phone. The phone is delivered to you but the fraudster then calls you to say the wrong phone was sent. They arrange to collect it, but they then keep it for themselves.
Whatsapp messages: You receive a WhatsApp message claiming to be from your son or daughter. They say their phone is damaged and they urgently need money transferred to a bank account to arrange a replacement. This is a scam.
PayPal Request Money emails: You receive an email which uses PayPal's Request Money feature. The wording is designed to look like a payment has already been made - this is to pressure you into clicking on the payment link. If you receive a Paypal email about a payment you were not expecting, treat it as suspicious and do not click on the “Pay Now” link in the email.
Be wary when selling goods online: Criminals target people selling phones or other valuables via online selling platforms. They contact you and arrange to buy the item from you via Bank Transfer. You receive an email claiming to be from a bank confirming that funds have been received but won’t be released until you provide proof of postage. You then post the item but the payment never arrives.
Alternatively, the fraudster offers to collect the item. When they arrive, they pay you using a convincing banking app. The app can mimic apps from several banks and seems to show the funds being transferred to your account.
We urge you not to release an item you are selling until you have independently confirmed that the money is in your account
159 - Stop Scams UK
If you think someone is trying to trick you into handing over money or personal details.
Stop, hang up and call 159 to speak directly to your bank.
Last year criminal gangs stole over £470m by pretending to be your bank or other service provider.
159 is the memorable, secure number that connects you directly to your bank if you think you’re being scammed.
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.
159 will never call you. Only a fraudster will object to you calling 159.
More details can be found here 159 Stop Scams
The Third Age Trust is a partner of Take Five which is supported by a consortium of high street banks, larger charities and backed by HMG. Take Five
Online Watch Link - OWL
If you are not already signed up to OWL you can get the latest local crime alerts by going to this website.
Online Watch Link.
National Cyber Security Centre - National Cyber Security Centre
National Fraud & Cyber Reporting Centre - National Fraud & Cyber Reporting Centre
Action Fraud Alert Sign up for fraud alerts at Action Fraud Alert
Little Book of Scams
For information on Scams check out the Little Book of Scams.
Little Book of Big Scams
For more information on Scams check out the Little Book of Big Scams