Guard against rising number of scams
All areas: Cost of living crisis has prompted a rise in fraud
Citizens Advice East Berkshire (CAEB) has warned residents of scams that have become more prevalent in the area as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.
About 80 per cent of people in the South East have been targeted by scammers according to CAEB’s new research. This compares to about 65 per cent of people in 2021.
The bureau found that more than half, 58 per cent, were scams around deliveries, postal and courier services.
The next most common was Government or HMRC scams, making up 38 per cent.
Jeremy Sandell, chief officer of CAEB, said: “Every day our team hear shocking stories about the effects of the cost-ofliving
crisis.
“Many people are worried and have no idea how they will manage. Scammers are preying on people’s fears, so it’s important that we all work together to protect ourselves and each other.”
To stop more people from falling victim to these types of scams, Citizens Advice East Berkshire is sharing five top indicators to help guard against a potential scam. Some red flags include:
W If it seems too good to be true – for example, scammers pretending to be energy companies with unusually good deals to lure people in
W You’ve been pressured to transfer money quickly
W You’ve been asked to pay in an unusual way – like by an iTunes voucher or a transfer service
W You’ve been asked to give away personal information such as passwords, PINs or other verification codes.
If you’ve been scammed, Citizens Advice East Berkshire advises talking to your bank or card company immediately if you’ve handed over any financial and sensitive information or made a payment
You can also report the scam to Citizens Advice.
Offline scams, like those using the telephone, post and coming to your door, can be reported to the Citizens Advice website at tinyurl.com/5ava bvzc or by calling 0808 223 1133.
Report online scams to the Scams Action service either online at tinyurl.com/2p9b2x6x or on 0808 250 5050.
Text scams can be reported to your mobile phone provider by forwarding it to 7726. You can also report the scam to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.