Anyone who uses the internet has been warned to look out for a range of convincing scams that are becoming increasingly common - and in some cases have led to people losing their life savings.
Consumer group Which? said that it has seen a range of sophisticated scams doing the rounds so far in 2023, with fraudsters using clever tactics to con people out of cash. From cruel tactics on online dating websites to fake missing person appeals, the methods used by fraudsters can be ruthless.
Lisa Barber, Which? tech editor, said: "It's appalling that 2023 has seen scammers continuing to thrive, as a new wave of convincing scams bombards consumers from every direction." Here are four of the most convincing scam methods out there for people to watch out for, according to the experts at Which?:
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'Pig butchering'
These cruel scams have been given their nickname by fraudsters because they "fatten up" their victim by forming a romantic connection before stealing their cash. The scammer typically finds their victim on a dating site and "love bombs" them, usually making a convincing show of taking a great interest in them and their life.
The scammer will then often encourage their victim to move from the dating platform to a private messaging service - removing them from any protections the dating website might offer in the process. Once the "relationship" has been established, the scammer claims they have been having success investing – typically in property or cryptocurrency – and they offer to invest some of the victim's money.
If the victim consents, they are sometimes shown a crypto trading platform controlled by the scammers, and encouraged to sign up and begin depositing funds. One UK victim lost £107,000 to a scam like this, believing she was investing in retirement apartments overseas, Which? said.
Fake missing person appeals
Fake online posts about missing people are being shared more widely as scammers target social media users with good intentions. Once the post has racked up a huge number of likes and shares, the contents are edited into something completely different, like a straightforward investment scam.
Comments are turned off on the posts to avoid people pointing out the inconsistencies, Which? said. The consumer experts explained that many near-identical "missing person" posts using the same images and information had been spotted in community pages across the world, simply with the location being changed.
Which? added that the "despicable" scam relies on responsible citizens liking and sharing posts in an attempt to help, which they do in large numbers. The large number of likes and shares that stay on the post lends credibility to the fraud.
Because of this popular scam tactic, it can be difficult to tell which missing person posts are genuine. To be on the safe side, Which? suggests only sharing official posts, posted by organisations such as the police or the Missing People charity (missingpeople.org.uk).
PayPal scams
This money-grabbing scheme sees victims receive a "money request" from a genuine PayPal email address. Scammers may deploy this method to send out fake payment requests, often for high-value items, or posing as HMRC to demand "overdue" tax payments, Which? said.
In some versions of the scam, the fake invoice claims that the victim's PayPal account has been compromised and urges them to call a fake fraud hotline. People should never pay PayPal invoices they do not recognise, or call phone numbers in those invoices, the experts warned.
Fake app alerts
Some apps can install malware on phones, steal data and perpetuate scams, Which? warned. It added that while app stores do take steps to crack down on the problem, threats can remain - meaning that users must stay vigilant when downloading any new apps.
The experts suggest clicking on the developer's name and checking what other apps it has made to see if these seem legitimate when installing an app - and remember that reviews can be faked. If an app asks for permissions, for example to have access to your camera, be cautious as to whether these requests are relevant and proportionate to what the app will be used for.
People who believe they may have been scammed should contact their payment provider immediately and report it to Action Fraud. Which? has advised people to sign up to their Scam Alert Service to be made aware of the latest fraud tactics, as well as visiting the Which? website for free expert advice.
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