During the cost of living crisis, it has become even more important to be aware of scammers to ensure your money is safe.
From emails to texts and phone calls, there are numerous ways fraudsters will try to contact you. But answering the calls or messages could mean that you risk losing your hard-earned cash, the Liverpool Echo reports.
Some scams include a phone number that people should call, but you should never do this. And you should also be wary of unfamiliar email addresses or unexpected contact from a company.
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Here are some of the scams you should be aware of, and the numbers you should never answer a call from.
Amazon scam
In the run-up to Christmas, many of us will be using Amazon to order gifts. But shoppers should be aware that some fraudsters are using a phishing scam where they pretend to be from Amazon.
One number it comes from is 07542399484 and dupes the receiver into thinking that a new device has logged into your account.
One text said: "Amazon: We detected a login into your account from a new device on 27/09/2022 at 15:10:08 UTC. If this wasn’t you, you can terminate that session via: [https://checkup-amazon.com]."
The message tempts the person on the link to stop unknown activity on their account.
Another text, according to Which, said: "From Amazon - A new login has been attempted from IP address: 82.966.81.27 (Ipswich). If this was NOT you, secure your account immediately. [amazon-logins.com]."
Post Office scam
Shoppers waiting for gifts to be delivered may also fall victim to this new Post Office scam if they are not aware. According to the consumer rights website Which? the Post Office text scam asks people to take action by telling them that their parcel has been sent back to their branch.
The text reads: "Post Office: Your parcel has been redirected to your local branch due to an unpaid shipping fee."
The text then links to a legitimate-looking website, where it asks you to pay for the redelivery of your parcel. Which? warned people to never click on this kind of link or provide any personal data.
HSBC scam
Another text scam claims to be from the bank HSBC. The fake message uses the sender ID ‘PASSCODE’. Which? said this one could "easily seem legitimate", as the phrase 'one time passcode' (OTP) is used in the banking industry to describe the temporary security codes that banks send to customers.
The message said: "HSBC: Your OTP is 429384 for a payment of 850.00 GDP to EXPEDIA - REF: HS9X. If this wasn’t you, call us immediately on 0330 828 1274".
If someone calls the number, they will hear an automated recorded message or interactive voice response (IVR) which asks them for their bank's branch sort code and 16-digit card number or customer identification number before being supposedly put through to an adviser, which isn't the case.
The text asks people to call the number 0330 828 1274.
Paypal scam
Scammers may also send a text or an email posing to be a worker from PayPal.
The criminals will usually send a bogus link or a phone number that when engaged with can take you to a fraudulent website or telephone line. Once one of these fake websites or calls, the criminals can access personal data or even steal money.
An example of a fake text is: "Your PayPal account has been suspended due to suspicious activity. Please contact us immediately at 0123-4567. It is imperative that we speak to you immediately."
Or: "You spent £1,293.17 with PayPal. If you did not make this transaction please call us immediately at 0123-456 or click this link here. Thank You."
Missed call
Fraudsters call your mobile, but hang up as soon as it starts ringing. It's likely just an automated dialer and not even a real person.
This then shows up on the phone as a missed call and many people will ring back, in case it’s urgent.
In fact, the number used by criminals incurs premium-rate charges that can be sky-high, according to the police. Some common numbers will start with 0945, 0843 or 070.
These payments can be applied just for connecting the call, regardless of how long you stay on the line. But, in some cases, you will also hear a long recorded message to keep you on the phone for as long as possible so that the charges mount up.
Numbers to watch out for:
- 0845
- 0843
- 070
- 076
- 084
- 087
- 090
- 091
- 118
Premium number rate
This scam tries to snare people who are searching online for telephone numbers of Government advice services. It works by displaying an advert for the phone number of the relevant Government advice line.
However, you’ll be charged a premium for using this advertised telephone number – in some cases, as much as £20 or £30 a call. Searches for car tax discs, renewing your driving licence and completing tax your return are some of the areas currently prone to these premium-rate number scams.
To avoid being ripped off in this way, you should never use numbers beginning with 084, 087, 090, 091 or 098 when calling Government advice lines. No official Government service would ever use an 084, 087, 090, 091 or 098 number to deliver a legitimate Government service.
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