TOP TIPS FOR SPOTTING A SCAM

Romance scams

Victims are convinced to make a payment to someone they have met on social media or a dating website. Scammers use fake dating profiles, known as “catfishing”. Criminals target people who say they are widowed or divorced.

Rogue traders

They turn up on people’s doorsteps offering unnecessary services. They may claim there is an urgent problem with the victim’s roof or driveway. They offer to fix it for a rip-off fee. Victims may be convinced to withdraw money from their bank branch while the scammer sets up. Dodgy traders may also claim additional problems have cropped up and they need to charge extra money to fix them.

Traders’ credentials should always be checked and people should not feel pressured into having work carried out or handing over money.

Courier fraud

Victims are tricked into taking part in an “investigation” into supposedly corrupt bank staff or a retailer such as a jeweller.

Someone may be persuaded to withdraw money from their account to hand over to a

“courier” with the promise that the money will later be returned.

Or they may be persuaded to purchase expensive items to hand to a courier “for examination” with a promise of a reimbursement once the investigation is complete.

Remember, the police will not contact you out of the blue to participate in an investigation in which you need to withdraw money from your bank or to purchase high-value goods for safekeeping.

Nor will your bank send a courier to your home to collect your card and Pin – requests to do so are scams.