The Dark Side of Money: Help Stop Fraud
Following our series on the dark side of money, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, in 2019 there was approximately 3.8 million incidents of fraud reported. With advanced technology, and the help of the black web, unfortunately its easier than ever for criminals to gain our private and personal information. This means added caution on our part; taking extra care, and looking out for friends and family who may not be quite as clued up.
Types of Fraud
There are so many ways in which people can try and engage you to get your information; but the main types are phone, text and email.
Phone
No matter what your caller ID says, you must always be careful when speaking to people on the phone. Just because it says it’s your bank phoning you, it doesn’t always mean it is. If you are ever unsure of who you are talking to; someone is asking you questions or for details you’re unhappy divulging, then hang up. Trust your gut feeling! Banks should never phone you and ask for sensitive information. A genuine company will completely understand if you feel uneasy, and want to end the call. Just be sure to phone them back with a number you have found, like from your app or on the back of your card. Don’t phone them back on a number they have given you if you feel uneasy.
Text
Probably one of the easiest ways to try and gain information. Have you ever had a text from British Gas, saying your direct debit has failed, and follow the link provided to log in and repay? Or from the Government saying you’ve overpaid on your tax, and you are due a huge refund? Be aware! If things sound too good to be true, they usually are. You would never get a text from HMRC saying to input your bank details for a rebate – it is not how they work. And the British Gas bounce text? Take a closer look at your utility provider – chances are you’re not even with British Gas! Never click on a link from a text asking for details without plenty of research first.
Probably the oldest, and easiest, way to try and scam people, also known as phishing. When you get an email, it is easy for the sender to make it seem as though their email address is a legitimate email address – by changing their name to said email address. A really easy way to double check it is to click on the sender’s name. There is a really good chance it will actually be from vkxfef38346@yahoo.com, or some random email address you have never heard from. Even if that doesn’t show up, if you check the email over, then there is a good chance you will see spelling or grammatical errors if it is spam.
Typical ones I get all the time are from ‘DPD’, (no, they’re not!) telling me I missed an important delivery, and to follow the link immediately to put everything from my name and address in to my hair colour and favourite high school teacher. Again, trust your gut! If it doesn’t feel right, find your own way to contact the company direct to double check.
