Scam Awareness and Prevention Interactive

IDENTIFY AND PROTECT AGAINST SCAMS

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Join Sarah and explore techniques scammers use to target unsuspecting individuals. Remember to stay vigilant and always verify before you trust.

Shopping Scams

Tax Scams

Banking Scams

Click TO Explore some of the most common scams and what you can do to help protect yourself...

Romance Scams

Holiday Scams

Delivery Scams

Boss Scams

Family Crisis Scams

Join Sarah and explore techniques scammers use to target unsuspecting individuals. Remember to stay vigilant and remember always to verify before you trust.

Helpful links for more on scams

Useful links

Spot and Prevent ScamsUK Government

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Report FraudAction Fraud

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BBC Scam Safe website

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Online Shopping Scams

Sarah receives an email about a fantastic online shopping deal that seems too good to be true. The prices are extremely low compared to other retailers, but she notices the website has poor design and lacks detailed company information for contact.

HOW To STAY SAFE

TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS

• These signs indicate a website that may be fraudulent during online shopping. • Sarah should shop from reputable websites and avoid clicking suspicious email links. • She should use secure payment methods like PayPal or credit cards with fraud protection.

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TAX SCAMS

Sarah finds her phone buzzing with urgency. A voicemail claims to be from the government tax office, threatening legal action if she doesn't immediately pay her unpaid taxes over the phone. Sarah's heart races with uncertainty. What should she do next to navigate this perilous situation?

HOW To STAY SAFE

TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS

• These are some common tactics used by scammers posing as government officials. • Sarah should call back on a verified phone number (not the one supplied by the caller). • She should not make pressured payments via wire transfer or prepaid cards.

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ROMANCE SCAMS

Sarah recently started chatting on a dating app with Emma, a TV journalist reporting from war zones overseas. They swap video messages, and Sarah asks for a live video call, but Emma replies that her Internet is unreliable where she is. Emma has suggested moving their conversations off the dating app to another chat app.

HOW To STAY SAFE

TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS

• Sarah should be suspicious if she is only receiving pre-recorded videos as these could be Deepfakes. • Staying on the dating app allows you to block or report suspicious behaviour and also ensures your privacy and safety until you are confident they are not scammers.

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MISSED DELIVERY SCAMS

Upon returning home from shopping, Sarah finds a strange delivery notice claiming a package couldn't be delivered. The notice includes a web address to reschedule the delivery. What should Sarah do next to avoid potential scams?

HOW TO STAY SAFE

TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS

• Sarah should be wary of navigating to websites printed on missed delivery notices, as they may be malicious. • She should contact the shipping company using a verified phone number/website to confirm the authenticity of the notice. • Sarah should not be pressured to pay additional delivery charges on the doorstep. • Delivery scams can also arrive via text message. Should Sarah receive a text claiming to have missed a delivery, she should exercise the same caution.

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FAMILY CRISIS Scams

Sarah receives a call from a man claiming to have kidnapped her widowed mother, demanding a ransom. Sarah hears her mother’s voice pleading and crying in the background but was not allowed to talk to her. Sarah tried calling her mother’s mobile, but it went to voice mail.

HOW TO STAY SAFE

TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS

• AI could have been used to clone Sarah's mother's voice. • She should contact neighbours or visit in person to confirm her mother is safe. • If her mother's phone is off, she may also be a victim of SIM jacking.

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BOSS Scams

Sarah receives an email on her work phone, seemingly from a senior boss she knows where she works. It asks her to join an online meeting, in which her boss says he wants to give some online shopping vouchers to the team as a thank you. Sarah is asked to buy multiple vouchers and send the codes to her boss’s personal email so his PA does not see the surprise. As he is busy, there is no time to chat, and he closes the call.

HOW To STAY SAFE

TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS

• This could be a Deepfake of Sarah’s boss. She should challenge this unorthodox request. • Sarah should ask for a video call with a second manager, who was not on the original call, to confirm the transaction.

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BANKING Scams

Sarah receives a text from her bank, warning her that the minimum payment for her credit card is due soon. To show the message is genuine, the first four digits of her credit card are listed. She is asked to reply ‘Y’ or ‘N’ to have the bank call her to make payment.

HOW TO STAY SAFE

TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS

• This is likely a scam and may be generated by a tool like FraudGTP. • Sarah should contact her bank separately using the number on her card or from the official website to confirm the text is real. • She should not reply to the message. The first four digits of any credit card are not secret and are shared by multiple customers.

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HOLIDAY SCAMS

Sarah excitedly plans her upcoming holiday trip to a tropical destination. She receives an email and a letter offering unbelievably cheap vacation packages to exotic destinations. Can Sarah decipher the hidden dangers lurking beneath the tempting offer? What should Sarah consider before responding?

HOW TO STAY SAFE

TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS

• Sarah should confirm the authenticity of all contact methods and research the travel company independently, including checking online reviews. • She should exercise caution in immediately booking the holiday to secure the low price.

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Sim jacking is a type of fraud or identity theft where scammers trick your mobile provider into transferring your phone number to a SIM card they control, often to gain access to your personal accounts and sensitive information.

Sim jacking is a type of fraud or identity theft where scammers trick your mobile provider into transferring your phone number to a SIM card they control, often to gain access to your personal accounts and sensitive information.