Latest Scam Warnings
Malcolm Phillips, the PPP Fraud Victim Support Officer updates us on the latest scams circulating. Talk to any vulnerable groups / individuals you know who may not have access on-line updates.
- Consumers have reported criminal’s cold-calling households and posing as Red Cross or NHS workers to collect donations for bogus Covid-19 charities. Please do not give cold callers any donations. If you wish to donate to these charities find their details on-line independently.
- Scam Text Messages re Covid Home Testing. There have been reports of scam text messages offering coronavirus home tests which instead look to give thieves access to property. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has released evidence of the scam, which poses as NHS contact tracers and says a “home testing team” will visit the message recipient to carry out a test for the virus. The message, which says it has been sent by “NHS-NoReply”, tells the recipient the team will “enter your property and we will remain inside the front door to put on our protective clothing. You must wait in a separate room before we come to you”.
- Scam messages to O2 customers claiming that payments have not gone through, directing customers to update their payment details. The link sent in the text leads to a fake website where criminals steal your banking information. The scam text message reads: "O2: Payment for your latest bill could not be processed by your bank. Please update your information". O2 says it will never email, text or call customers and ask for a one-time code, password or other security information set up on your O2 account.
To report any scam you can contact Action Fraud or to us via your local Citizens Advice centre.
