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Scams

Published on 31 January 2023 01:45 PM

What is a scam?

A scam is a dishonest scheme used by criminals to trick people out of their money or assets.  Scammers want to obtain your personal details, such as name, address, passwords, bank account numbers and date of birth, as this information allows scammers to steal personal details which is known as ID fraud/theft.  With this information, it is possible for scammers to take money from your bank account, go on a spending spree with your cards, open new accounts in your name and make false insurance claims.

Scammers are sometimes individuals, or they might be part of an organised gang.  They are convincing and will make their scam sound plausible.  Falling prey to scammers is not your fault, but it is important that you are aware of the most common types of scams so you can reduce the likelihood of them happening to you.

Most common types of scams

  • Promising a gift or discounted item of some kind and asking you to part with cash to secure your item, which never arrives.
  • Befriending you, then convincing you to part with money to help them out of a tricky situation.
  • Selling you a service that never materialises.
  • Tricking their way into your home so that they can steal cash and valuables.
  • Impersonating a trusted organisation, such as your bank, a government department, a utility company or the police, to trick you into giving out personal information by phone, email, online, post or in person.

Help and support

If you or someone else is in immediate danger because of a scam (for example, being threatened by an aggressive doorstep caller), call the police on 999.

Report

Action Fraud is the UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, where you should report fraud if you have spotted a scam or have been scammed, defrauded or experienced cybercrime.

You can visit the website https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ or call Action Fraud on 0300 123 20 40.

If you’re unsure and want to discuss this with our team, please contact our Information & Advice service on 01454 411707 or email info@ageuksouthglos.org.uk, and one of our advisors will be able to support you.

For more information on scams, what to look out for and how to prevent them from happening to you, please read this Age UK guide on Avoiding Scams.  https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/information-guides/ageukig05_avoiding_scams_inf.pdf