DON’T GET CAUGHT BY SCAMMERS

KEEPING your hard-earned cash safe from crooks has never been more important.

Victims were tricked into transferring £ 236 million to fraudsters last year. Nearly 44,000 people lost an average of £2,784 each during 2017, according to figures from UK Finance.

Make sure that you know how to protect your savings from criminals. Never click on a link in an email or a text message that appears to be from your bank, as it could be a scam.

It’s also easy for criminals to send ‘phishing’ emails that look exactly like those your bank would send in a bid to make you click on a link. They might also mimic texts or emails from HM Revenue & Customs, the DVLA or many other official bodies.

Be suspicious of anyone who phones claiming to be from your bank or internet company. Hang up and call back on a separate line to the number on your bill or the back of your bank card.

Be careful what you share on social media and choose the highest privacy settings when using websites such as Facebook. You could end up giving away passwords in social media posts if you use easy-to-guess words such as your pet’s name or your favourite football team.