Protect Yourself From Fraud With These Tips

In today’s digital age, protecting yourself from fraud is more important than ever. Scammers are constantly finding new ways to trick unsuspecting victims out of their hard-earned money. Here are some valuable tips and tricks to help you stay one step ahead of the fraudsters.

Beware of Bank Transfer Scams: Scammers often use cold calls or emails to convince you that your account has been compromised. Never click on any links in unsolicited messages, and be extremely cautious of requests to transfer money to a “safe account.” A common scam used recently is for the scammer to make a cold call using an anonymous number and impersonate your bank. They will tell you that there is some kind of security risk with your bank account

Watch Out for “Failed Delivery” Scams: Be wary of texts or emails claiming a failed delivery. Check for subtle changes in sender details, and always verify the legitimacy of the message before taking any action. Remember that a lot of scammers have found ways to “spoof” numbers and names when sending you messages. So try to look for a different avenue to confirm that you do indeed have a failed delivery, without clicking on any links. For example, go to the official website of whatever platform has claimed that you’ve missed you delivery to see if the message matches up.

Check Your Password Security: Use websites like haveibeenpwnd.com to assess the security of your passwords and protect against data breaches. On this website you can also check if your email has been in association with a data leak. Just type your email account into the homepage!

Report Suspicious Emails: Mark phishing emails as junk to help your email provider identify and block scam messages.

Know Your Rights: Familiarize yourself with consumer protection laws like Section 75 of the consumer credit act, which allows you to claim back credit card transactions over £100, but under £30,000.

Utilize Chargeback and Buyer Protection: Take advantage of chargeback on debit cards and buyer protection on platforms like PayPal to dispute unauthorized transactions. Please note that if you sent money as “Friends & Family” on PayPal you will not be able to get any money back, so be careful if you’re going to make a friends and family payment!

Seek Resolution: If your bank denies a fraud claim, escalate your complaint to the financial ombudsman for a chance at resolution. According to recent statistics from Which?, there is a great deal of claims that are initially denied by banking institutions which are then overturned upon escalation.

Stay Alert with Cryptocurrencies and Gift Cards: Understand that cryptocurrencies and gift cards offer no protection against scams, so exercise caution when using them for transactions. If you’re being asked to create a cryptocurrency account specifically to send a payment, there is a good chance this is a scam.

Report Scams to Authorities: Forward phishing emails to the national cyber security centre at report@phishing.gov.uk to help combat online fraud. The guys on the other end of this email account have the authority to get websites removed, have links removed and have email accounts suspended. So not only will you be protecting yourself, you’ll also be saving other, possibly more vulnerable, people from the attacks as well.

Establish Safe Communication: Create a safe word with family members to verify their identity during suspicious calls, and remember that AI-generated voices may struggle to replicate human laughter. If you’re unsure but have your suspicious, try cracking a joke and see how the caller reacts.

By staying informed and implementing these strategies, you can safeguard yourself against the ever-evolving threat of fraud. Don’t let scammers catch you off guard – take control of your security today!

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