Don’t be fooled!

Keep abreast of the latest scams fraudsters are using to steal your details and money

Competition scams

You’re told that you’ve won a competition you haven’t entered, but to claim the prize, you must pay a fee. You never receive the prize but the scammer has your money and personal information.

Voucher scams

You receive a message telling you that you’re entitled to a free £50 voucher for your favourite store. You click on the link, but are asked to register your personal details in order to claim, but never receive the voucher, while the fraudsters gain your details.

Mule account scams

You’re asked by a friend or stranger if they can use your bank account to make a transfer, offering payment for your time and effort. You oblige, but you have unwittingly helped a fraudster transfer stolen money – making you complicit in fraud.

The Amazon order

Victims receive a convincing email confirmation of a pricey product they haven’t ordered. The email says that you can cancel the order and get a refund if you click through to a linked page and enter your personal details.

The court summons

You receive a message impersonating the Crown Prosecution Service to say that you’ve been summoned to court. The email contains a link or attachment that either asks for personal information or contains a virus designed to infiltrate your computer.

The diverted tradesman’s payment

You receive an invoice by email for work you’ve had done to your home by a tradesman, but it’s actually from a fraudster. According to the police, criminals are taking note of company vehicles parked at victim’s homes and are setting up emails pretending to be them.

The DVLA text

You’re sent a text that claims to be from the DVLA and includes a link to a mocked-up website asking you to confirm your personal details or make a payment.

The lottery winnings text

You receive a text saying that your number has been selected for a huge amount of prize money – it’s bound to be a fake.