Six steps you can take to avoid falling victim to a criminal

MANY people are in the dark about how financial scams work. Because they are complex and can be so convincing it is easy to be duped. Rachel Almeida, pictured below, is spokeswoman for Victim Support, a charity that looks after victims of all types of crime. She says: ‘From our experience we know that people often feel embarrassed about falling victim to fraud, but many of these are highly sophisticated scams that can affect anyone. Fraud can impact victims and their families not only financially, but psychologically too, causing a great deal of stress. We would urge everyone to be alert to potential scams and take appropriate measures and put in place suitable safeguards to ensure they keep themselves safe online.’

The advice being given to consumers is to: TREAT all letters, phone calls, emails and text messages with caution. Do not assume they are genuine – even if they include some basic information about you that is correct. BE absolutely certain of who you are dealing with before sharing account and card details or changing a payment. KEEP your PIN and online banking passwords a secret – your bank, police or other legitimate organisation will never ask for this information. TAKE time to think before making any financial decisions. Do not act on impulse or bow to pressure, especially if you are being rushed into something. CHECK with your bank if you have doubts – but use contact details you can trust, such as the phone number on your bank statement. Do not rely on details provided in an email, text or phone call. SEEK more information at fca.org.uk/consumers/ banking-online-accountscams. Anyone affected by financial crime who needs advice can call Victim Support’s helpline on 0808 168911 or visit victimsupport.org.uk.