04/08/22
Welcome to the latest edition of the Scam Share bulletin. Stay Scam Aware and please share any relevant information in this bulletin with friends and family.
Suspicious Text Messages
If you receive a suspicious text message you can forward it to 7726. The free-of-charge ‘7726’ service enables your provider to investigate and take action if malicious content is found.
Recently Reported Scams
Energy Products: Doorstep Scams
The Scam
There has been an increase in reports from across Scotland of rogue traders visiting properties and offering to install home energy products such as insulation, boilers and double glazing, supposedly under Government funded schemes.
They often say they are working on behalf of the local council and provide misleading information about the availability of funding.
In one case, a cold caller told a householder that they would be elegible to receive free insulation if they could prove they were in fuel poverty and asked to see their recent bank statements.
Warnings about these rogue traders have recently been issued by Highland Council and North Lanarkshire Council, while South Lanarkshire Council have warned that fraudsters are posting adverts on social media offering non-existent 'Council funding' for new storage heaters.
How to Avoid
Highland Council advise that they will not visit householders unexpectedly to offer energy products - any initial communication will be by letter rather than a knock at the door.
Many councils do offer funding and grants for energy products to eligible households. If a cold caller says that you are eligible for a grant or funding for energy efficiency improvements in your home, such as new boilers, insulation, heating or windows, always verify that their offer is valid before agreeing to any deal.
You can do this by calling Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282 or visiting www.homeenergyscotland.org - they will be able to tell you about any funding available in your area. They also offer free and impartial information about energy saving measures.
If a trader mentions council funding in a social media advert, always contact the council to verify that the funding exists before dealing with them.
If you are considering installing energy saving measures, have an impartial assessment carried out to determine which measures will actually benefit your home.
Sign up for Neighbourhood Watch Scotland Alerts to stay up to date with what is going on in your community: www.neighbourhoodwatchscotland.co.uk
The Scam
A new type of delivery scam message has been reported, the aim of which is to encourage the recipient to provide their bank details to pay a bogus fee.
The text appears to have been sent by Evri (formerly Hermes) and says that you missed a recent parcel delivery. You are asked to click on a link and pay a £10 fee, supposedly to rearrange the delivery.
The link in the message leads to a cloned website that looks almost identical to the legitimate Evri site, where you are asked to enter your contact details and bank details to make a payment.
One man who received this text was in fact expecting a delivery, but was suspicious about being asked to pay a fee, particularly as he had been in the house all day and knew he had not missed a delivery. Rather than clicking on the link in the message, he visited the genuine Evri website and entered the reference number provided in the scam text message - it was not recognised.
How to Avoid
Evri have confirmed that they would never ask for a payment via text message.
Legitimate parcel delivery services will not contact you unexpectedly to ask for personal or payment details.
If you receive an unexpected text message about a parcel delivery, don't click on any links or follow any instructions to download an app to your phone.
If you are expecting a parcel, track the delivery on the company’s official website rather than using links or contact details provided in an unexpected message.
The Scam
A woman from Perth received a cold call this week purporting to be from Microsoft.
The caller told the woman that her Microsoft account had been hacked and asked her to grant them remote access to her computer.
The woman was worried and allowed the caller to access her computer.
After staying on the phone for over an hour, the caller then said that the woman was due to receive £400 in 'compensation' and asked for her bank card details.
In 2021, over 20,000 people reported scams that involved fraudsters remotely connecting to their computer, with losses totalling over £57m.
How to Avoid
Legitimate companies will not call or text you unexpectedly to tell you about a potential problem on your computer.
If you receive an unexpected call you about a computer problem, hang up and don't provide any information. Never follow instructions from an unsolicited caller or in a text message to download an app or software which would allow them to access your computer remotely.
Contact your bank immediately if you think you may have made a payment to a scammer or if you are worried that a fraudulent transaction has been made from your account.
The Scam
Police Scotland are warning those planning to attend events at the Edinburgh Festival to be wary of ticketing and accommodation scams. Scammers may get in touch via text message or email to offer non-existent tickets or rooms for rent.
They may also create misleading posts or pages on social media offering 'special deals' on tickets to popular events.
How to Avoid
Only buy tickets from the venue’s box office, official promoter or agent, or a well-known and reputable ticket site;
If possible, pay for tickets by card; preferably credit rather than debit. Be suspicious if you are asked to make a bank transfer as this may be a scam;
Check that the seller is registered with the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR): Take a note of the seller’s name and, if they are a business, their address in case you need to contact them at a later date;
Be aware of the information which ticket sellers are required to provide. Sellers may be committing an offence if they fail to disclose relevant information.
The Campaign
Get Safe Online are running a month-long campaign to help consumers use mobile and online banking safely and to raise awareness of banking scams.
They are warning consumers to beware of unsolicited emails, texts or calls from “your bank” or “the police” warning you about an issue with your account or requesting confidential details. These warnings usually demand urgent action to avoid losing money or having your account closed.
How to Avoid
If you receive an unexpected message from your bank and are unsure if it is legitimate, contact your bank using their official number (found on the back of your card, a statement or on their website).
Don't click on any links in unexpected messages about your bank account. If you do click on a link do not provide bank or security details and never download software on to your device.
Don't follow instructions given in an automated call about your bank account. If you press 1, you may be put through to a scammer who will ask for your personal details, which they could potentially use to commit fraud.
Only download banking and other apps from your device’s authorised app store and check reviews and recommendations. Apps downloaded elsewhere could be fraudulent.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has issued an urgent warning to the public to stop using a heated hairbrush and dryer which can catch fire during normal use.
The product, originally branded ‘One Step model SM-5250' is still being sold through online marketplaces and unscrupulous sellers may be badging these dangerous products under a variety of brand names.
OPSS advise the public to check any heated hairbrushes and ensure that the manufacturer’s name and address is on the product itself. If it is not, you should stop using them immediately and contact the seller.
OPSS recently launched a new product safety alerts, reports and recalls site to help consumers and businesses identify unsafe products available on the UK market, as identified by OPSS or another market surveillance authority: www.gov.uk/guidance/product-recalls-and-alerts
You can search the list to check that products you own are safe and to subscribe to email updates for new products added.
App - short for 'application', refers to a software program for computers or other devices such as smartphones and tablets.
Malware - malicious software that is designed to damage or gain unauthorised access to a computer or other device.
Phishing - the practice of sending fraudulent emails which often appear to be from well-known organisations or companies and ask the recipient to provide personal information or to visit a particular website.
QR Code - a square barcode that a smartphone camera can scan and read to provide quick access to a website or app.
Ransomware - malware that makes data or systems unusable until the victim makes a payment.
Remote Access - the ability to access a computer or device from another location. Anyone with remote access to a device can access all files stored on it.
Smishing - the same as phishing, but carried out via SMS (text) messages rather than emails.
Software - the set of instructions and programs that tells a computer how to operate.
Virus - a computer program designed to infect and damage legitimate software.
Official Contacts
If you feel threatened or unsafe, contact Police Scotland on 101 or 999 in an emergency.
