Tuesday 7th February is this year’s Safer Internet Day. Safer Internet Day is an opportunity for millions of people around the world to raise awareness of children and young people’s online safety and wellbeing. If you know school age children, make sure they know about the date. Hopefully the day will be celebrated in their classrooms, but there are some great resources for their parents on Safer Internet Day website.
We are going to look at a number of recent scams in this edition of our regular Scam email.
WhatsApp scam Messages
WhatsApp offers an easy and free way of messaging friends and family, but scammers are looking to exploit its features for their own gains. We have seen fraudsters pose as recruitment agencies and crypto traders on the messaging app, but we assume there are others out there using the platform to try and coax victims into handing over their money and personal data.
If you receive an unsolicited message on WhatsApp from somebody who is not in your contact list, treat it with caution and block them if you are not sure who they are.
Fake Banking Apps
If you are selling items on an online marketplace, beware if a buyer offers to transfer the money directly into your account. We have received reports of a fake banking app used by buyers to trick you into thinking they have transferred funds directly into your account.
Always stick to the marketplace’s recommended payment method (such as PayPal) and always check buyers’ reviews and seller feedback. Accounts that have been set up very recently with a large volume of similar positive feedback usually indicate fake reviews. Don’t be rushed into handing over goods before you are sure that payment has been received.
TV licencing
Scammers are sending fake emails again using the official TV Licensing logo telling the recipient to claim a rebate or update their direct debit details. The email contains a link that looks legitimate as it starts with www.tvlicensing.co.uk, but also contains additional random characters.
Beware if you receive an unexpected message from TV Licencing. Any legitimate communications from TV Licencing are personalised to include information such as your name, part of your postcode or your licence number.
We also know of similar emails that have been circulating from the likes of the DVLA, so always be cautious and avoid clicking on links in emails or text messages. Open your browser and login to your account directly using a Website address you trust.
Holiday and travel booking
Fraudsters use fake websites, listings, emails, advertisements, social media posts, texts and phone calls to trick you into buying and paying for what you think is a genuine holiday.
Always do your research to make sure that a holiday is authentic and be wary of unusually cheap flights and holidays. Check reviews on Tripadvisor and if using Airbnb, always keep communications and payment on the Airbnb platform. Never pay for holidays by Bank Transfer and ensure that your travel agent is a member of ABTA or ATOL, by checking on these bodies’ websites.
Don’t forget, you can always check if a website you plan to book a holiday on is likely to be legitimate or fraudulent, enter its address into Get Safe Online’s Check-a-Website tool.
Delivery scams.
Impersonating delivery companies is a common tactic used by scammers, but they are back again, albeit with one subtle twist. The current scam appears to be from UPS, but on closer inspection the logo says ‘IPS’ telling you that you have missed a delivery with a prominent link to reconfirm the parcel shipping and asking for a ‘customs fee’. Most genuine delivery companies won’t charge you for missed deliveries, and customs fees only apply to international deliveries. If you enter your bank details, you’ll be giving them to the scammer.
Remember the A,B,C – Assume nothing , Believe nobody and Check everything
There are a number of ways you can report a scam:
· Forwarding suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk
· Forward suspicious texts to Ofcom on 7726
· Contact Action Fraud by visiting actionfraud.police.uk or calling 0300 123 2040
· Contact Crimestoppers by visiting crimestoppers-uk.org
If you believe that you have become a victim of an online scam and would like some help, contact Victim Support by visiting victimsupport.org.uk
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Getsafeonline.org has lots of advice about online safety at
https://www.getsafeonline.org
They also have a handy tool to check out whether a website is likely to be legitimate or fraudulent, at https://www.getsafeonline.org/checkawebsite/
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If you would like to receive more information about scams into your email box, you can sign up to the National Action Fraud Alert scheme run by the City of London Police.
https://www.actionfraudalert.co.uk/
Or, you can sign up for Which? Scam Alerts …
https://act.which.co.uk/page/103781/data/1
Or sign up to West Sussex County Staying Safe Online E-newsletter …
https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire-emergencies-and-crime/crime-prevention/staying-safe-online/
Article by Liam Dasey. Liam is one of our volunteer Digital Champions, but he is also a volunteer Digital Ambassador for West Sussex County Council and Get Safe Online, helping raise awareness about online safety in the community.
