Fraud and Scams
Check a website
Get Safe Online has partnered with Cifas, the UK’s leading fraud prevention service, to launch ‘Check-a-Website’. An innovative new feature, hosted on www.getsafeonline.org that invites users to check if a website is safe to use before accessing. It is expected to prevent thousands of people in the UK falling victim to unwanted online scams every year.
Digital Switchover Scams
The transition from analogue to digital technologies has created new opportunities for criminals to target vulnerable residents.
Criminals may use phishing emails, fake websites, or phone calls to trick residents into providing personal information, such as bank account details or passwords.
Common scams
Fraudsters are constantly coming up with new ways of trying to defraud people concerning all manner of products and services, including loans, dating, holidays, business opportunities, clairvoyants, pharmaceuticals, lottery prizes, fake Covid-19 vaccines, even recovery of money lost to fraud and a whole lot more.
Protecting against scams
Criminals are experts at impersonating people, organisations and the police. They spend hours researching you for their scams, hoping you’ll let your guard down for just a moment. Stop and think. It could protect you and your money.
STOP: Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.
CHALLENGE: Could it be fake? It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
PROTECT: Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud.
Reporting scams
If you or someone else is in immediate danger because of a scam (for example, if they are being threatened by an aggressive doorstep caller), call the police on 999.
Contact the police immediately by calling 101 if:
the fraudster is still in your area
you need help, support and / or assistance as result of the fraud
a fraud is being committed
you know the suspect and they reside in the UK
the victim is perceived to be vulnerable (this may be through age, or by way of mental, or physical impairment, or in need of care and support), or
a fraud has just recently occurred and you believe that it is important to report the incident to police quickly in order that they can secure and preserve evidence, or prevent loss (i.e. CCTV, recover large amounts of money transferred from bank accounts before the criminal can remove it.
Cyberhood Watch
Avast has teamed up with Neighbourhood Watch to create the UK Cyberhood Watch initiative that will help people in Britain learn more about the cybersecurity risks that exist every time we go online, and discover which regions of the UK are the most at risk.
From phishing to viruses to ransomware, this community-led awareness programme looks at the impact cybercrime can have on our everyday lives, and provides simple tips on the steps we can take to protect ourselves, our friends and family, and our local community.