How to avoid scams

11 Comments -

It’s not just the gullible falling for scams because they’re slicker and more convincing than ever. We show you how to avoid the most common of scams.

These days, scams come in all shapes and sizes and can get the better of even the most savvy of us. According to the OFT, 3 million consumers in the UK are hit by scams every year - but how do you avoid them?

There are many different types of scam, coming at us from all angles. So it's important you know how to spot one to ensure you don't get stung.

The most pervasive scam is the email phishing scam. This is where fraudsters send out bogus emails, pretending to be from your bank or another official organisation. The emails can be quite convincing and will ask you to fill in your bank details.

Another common scam is the homeworking scam. A company will write or email you to offer you the opportunity to work from home, often paying a lot of money for not much work. While it might sound appealing to make hundreds of pounds in your lunch break, if it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is.

Other scams can include prize draws you've supposedly won, emails from official people asking for cash advances and letters telling you to call premium rate phone numbers for a prize.

Plenty of people recognise them, but you need to be able to avoid them.

Trust your gut instinct. If you get a letter saying you've won a prize draw but you didn't enter one, it's not genuine. It pays to be sceptical.

Always check the spelling of any emails or letters. An official letter would be correctly written, be on your guard if you spot any spelling mistakes.

Never send off any money for your 'free' gift. If you have a won a prize, you shouldn't have to pay for anything – it's hardly a prize then, is it?

Often an email will direct you to a website. If you hover the mouse over the link and it's a completely different address to the website it purports to be, it's probably a scam.

Never, ever give out your bank details or password information in response to an email. Banks will never ask you for this information, so don't be swayed if you get an email telling you your account is at risk. Your bank would send you a letter or phone if this were the case.

Check your credit report regularly through websites such as Experian.co.uk and Equifax.co.uk to see if your name has been used fraudulently. 

Anti-virus and anti-spy software can go some way to protecting your computer against these types of email scams, so if you're worried, invest for your peace of mind.

Your Comments

Guest (not verified):
Tue, 02/11/2010 - 15:14

Does amy one know anything about buying foreclosed houses in the USA ? SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

Jyotish Ganguli (not verified):
Tue, 02/11/2010 - 15:24

Good of you to draw attention to common ways of scamming the unwary public. But there many other ways that these mischiefmakers try & get the older and the vulnerable. For example I have got telephone calls on my mobile ( God knows how they got my number ? ! ) to say that I have made a claim against my bank and they would want personal details. My wife picked the call and gave them shortshrift.
Beware !!!

Paul Fallows (not verified):
Sat, 27/11/2010 - 16:23

These scams are obviously criminal and with the intention to rob vulnerable people.
Why are the Police or Authorities not taking action against this type of computer crime?
If I receive a scam email what action can I take apart from delete it? Who can I report it to? It's so common they must be able to follow it up. Everything sent on a computer leaves a trail same as a phone. Surely these scams can be traced and the criminals prosecuted.
Today I received a very professional looking email telling me I had won £520,000 in a National Lottery Email Sweep stake. It even used the National Lottery Logo on it's letterhead.
It did ask me to send some basic details about myself but did strangely not ask for my bank details. I guess that would have come next after taking the bait!
This wants stopping big time.

Guest (not verified):
Sat, 27/11/2010 - 16:28

Ads on webpages about teeth whithening, working from home, and losing belly fat...Stay well clear! You know the ones "Single mum discovers blah blah..." They'll offer you a trial for £2 and once they have your credit card details tey have got you because you probably didn't read the small print which is a contract to spend so much per month. And your CC company won't be able to help because you've been had through your own negligence!

Guest (not verified):
Sat, 27/11/2010 - 18:15

Watch out also for the legacy scam, very often aimed at Charities. You have inherited thousands from somebody abroad and the scammer needs cash to release it on your behalf.

Also the phone cut-off scam. Someone calls you purportedly from BT saying that your phone is about to be cut off because the bill is unpaid. When you protest, they suggest that to prove who they are they can cut you off for the next five minutes and then reconnect you. There is apparently some way of actually doing this. They then call you again and many give credit-card details etc and pay up.

I get hundreds of bank-details phishing scams. Is it worth forwarding these to the named bank ? I used to do it but it takes time to find the correct address and they never thank you or even acknowledge.

If reading this, can you warn of any other types of recent scam ?

guest (not verified):
Fri, 28/01/2011 - 15:39

A very simple way to avoid certain types of scams is just to check with a close friend before committing.
Nothing is that urgent that it cannot wait for this short delay.
We got caught out when my wife joined a disguised pyramid selling organisation, and was told not to mention anything about the money making scheme to your husband - as they will warn you off this once in a lifetime financial opportunity.
She didn't .......and we lost £1500!
There is nothing new in your advice, but it is still good advice.

Guest (not verified):
Fri, 28/01/2011 - 17:17

and then there's the ad on facebook -" buy our wonder wrinkle-reducing/weight reducing pills/creams! Look at the following case histories with wondrous success stories!!! now available for a FREE trial period!!!! " But if you pursue them, on about the 4th screen you will find that if you don't cancel (within 2-4 weeks) you will be charged the full cost of £96 per calendar month or >$100pcm for continuing to 'enjoy' the products... There's nowt for owt! (or is that owt for nowt?)

Guest (not verified):
Fri, 28/01/2011 - 17:41

I received a mobile message that says:
Congratulations! YOUR MOBILE NO. HAS WON 2.000.000.00 EUROS IN THE FREELOTTO MOBILE PROMO HELD IN HOLLAND FOR CLAIMS SEND REF UK749 TO: freelot444@live.com

I think this is one of the scams where by you then send them an email and their response is always going to ask you for your bank details and some money for the costs of the transfer to the bank. I will never respond to any of those scams.

Guest (not verified):
Sat, 05/02/2011 - 12:38

I got a phone call saying i had a problem with my computer and said they would fix it. I was not alert at the time. and i did have a problem with my computer.which i reported however assuming this was the case i continude with the person on the phone he told me to switch on my computer and log in the next thing was he was having control of my mouse then out of the blue i had a security called malware on my computer that is when i realised something was wrong then he asked me what plan i wanted 1.2 or 3yr£80 £170£300 and could i give him my bank details.i then realised it was a con and told him i did not have a bank card as my son does all my affairs and would not be back till the next day. sure enough they did phone back but idid cut them off i tried to get there number but it was from another network although i am in my 70si thought i was a wise man. but afraid not. and glad i did not give my bank details. these people will stop at nothing to get their gains you would think in this day and age there would be somthing to stop all this whats going on. so be very aware. i know i will from now on.

Guest (not verified):
Mon, 14/03/2011 - 02:36

Close the credit card account immediately

Guest (not verified):
Fri, 08/04/2011 - 13:22

I fell very stupidly for one of these weight management loss pills/tea. After years of struggling with my weight thought this would may be the answer to my prayers. Stupidly lost a lot of money and my bank was no help to me, more or less said it was my fault. People be aware, theres a lot of vulnerable people out there me included.