12/05/22
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
As more Scottish consumers struggle with price increases and rising energy bills, we are running a nationwide Shut out Scammers campaign with Police Scotland to combat a rise in doorstep scams linked to the cost of living crisis.
The campaign will run for a month, with a different focus each week. This week, the focus is on cold calling and this edition of the bulletin features a case study recently reported in Scotland:
Driveway Scams
The Scam
There have several recent reports of cold callers who say they are working for the local council and have some materials left over so can offer a cheap deal on a new driveway.
One man was visited at home by a worker who said he’d been repairing potholes nearby and had some tarmac left over.
He offered to use it to resurface the man's driveway, telling him that the tarmac itself was free, but it would cost about £1.50 per square foot to lay it.
The man wasn't sure and told the worker he'd need to think about it. However, the worker returned with a couple of other men later that afternoon and laid the tarmac.
He said that, according to his machine readings, they had laid over 6,000 square feet and that it would cost £9,000.
The man felt intimidated by the workers and so agreed to send the money via bank transfer. A couple of hours later, his bank phoned to question the transaction, as it was such a high amount. When he told them he thought he was paying the council, they cancelled the transaction and advised him to report the workers to the police.
The man did this and, when the scammers phoned the next day to ask why the money hadn’t gone through, told them he had contacted the police. He didn't hear from them again.
He also phoned the council, who confirmed that they hadn’t had any workmen in the area on that day.
How to Avoid
If someone knocks at your door and says they are working for the council, ask them to wait and close the door while you phone the council to verify their identity. Genuine callers will be happy to wait while you do this.
Don't deal with cold callers. If you need to call a trader, find someone who has been vetted through a national or local authority approved trader scheme.
If a trader starts work on your property without being authorised and then demands payment, report them to Police Scotland.
Find out More
Find traders in Scotland who have been vetted by Trading Standards:www.trustedtrader.scot
The Scam
Householders across Scotland continue to be targeted by cold callers who claim to be installing broadband on behalf of the local council. In one case, a scammer asked for an up-front payment of £200 and an ongoing monthly payment of £20, which they would return and collect.
One resident contacted the council, who advised that they have nothing to do with supplying broadband and had no workers in the area.
How to Avoid
Always verify the identity of a cold caller before dealing with them. If a cold caller claims to work for a particular company or for the council, close the door and, rather than phoning the number on the caller's ID card, look up the council or company’s number on their official website or in an official phone directory. Legitimate callers will be happy to wait while you perform these checks.
Never feel obliged to answer the door to a cold caller – it is your home and you should not let anyone in unless you feel comfortable.
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
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of increasingly sophisticated investment scam tactics, where scammers ask people to share their screens. This can allow criminals to access personal and financial information stored on the device.
Over £25 million was lost to these scams between January 2021 and April 2022.
One woman lost £48,000 as scammers used screen sharing software to take over her computer and access her banking history. She had clicked on an advertisement for bitcoin and received a call from individuals claiming to be financial advisers. Offering to complete the first investment for her, they asked her to download the ‘AnyDesk’ platform, which then gave the scammers open access to all the financial details on her computer.
How to Avoid
The FCA warn that, if you are contacted out of the blue about an investment opportunity, the chances are it’s a high-risk investment or a scam.
Before making an investment, check that the company is regulated by the FCA at register.fca.org.uk/s/
Don't be rushed into making a decision about an investment - seek advice from someone you trust or from a financial advisor accredited by the FCA
You can also check the FCA's warning list of firms they know to be operating without permission or running scams. If a firm appear on this list it is because the FCA has identified that they are operating without their authorisation: www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart/warning-list
Be wary if a caller asks you to download an app or software which would allow them to access your computer remotely. Your bank will never need to access your screen to view your information.
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
This week a Scottish consumer who had advertised an item on Facebook Marketplace received an message from someone who agreed to purchase the item. The buyer said that a driver from a delivery company would collect the item and asked the seller to transfer £100 in vouchers to 'pay for insurance'.
The seller agreed to send the vouchers, After receiving the vouchers, the buyer requested a further £300, stating that if this was not paid, the seller would go to jail.
Another woman was selling a sofa through the same platform, when she got a message from a prospective buyer. The 'buyer' asked the woman to pay insurance for the delivery through DPD, telling her that the money would be refunded once the item was received. They sent an email, supposedly from DPD, which included a link to pay the insurance fee.
There have also been recent reports of scam emails which purport to be from eBay and say that you have outstanding seller fees. The aim of these emails is to encourage you to click on a link leading to a scam website with eBay branding which asks for your personal and payment details.
How to Avoid Be suspicious if a buyer on any online marketplace offers to pay for an item using an unusual method or if they ask you to pay any kind of insurance/delivery costs. If a buyer becomes aggressive, stop communicating with them.
Don't click on any links in suspicious emails. If you do click on a link, do not provide bank or security details and never download software on to your device.
Report any suspicious behaviour to the site you are using. If you have lost money, report this to Police Scotland on 101.
The Scam
The Scottish Government are warning people to be wary of potential doorstep scams connected to the census. Although around 81% have now completed the census, those who have not yet completed it will have been notified by letter and will be visited by field workers going to the door to assist with paper or online completion.
How to Avoid Census Scams
Official field teams will always show formal identification. You can verify their identity by calling the helpline on 0800 030 8308.
They will never ask you for money or personal financial information. If a caller who says they represent the census does ask you for these, it is a scam.
They will never ask to enter your property. If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe at any time, call Police Scotland on 101 or 999 in an emergency.
They will never phone unexpectedly to ask you to provide personal information.They will only phone, email or text you if you have requested this.
Don't click on links in unexpected text messages or emails. If you are unsure about a message you receive, you can contact the census online at www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/contact-us or by calling the helpline on 0800 030 8308.
Fraud prevention service Cifas have published their annual Fraudscape Report which outlines the changing shape of identity fraud and other fraud trends from the past year.
One of the report's findings is that there has been a 7% rise in companies being impersonated, with criminals predominantly posing as financial institutions or service providers such as telecoms companies. Over 37,000 consumers were contacted by a scammer posing as their bank or service provider, in an attempt to obtain their personal and financial details.
How to Avoid
Take Five to Stop Fraud recently provided this advice to help consumers avoid impersonation scams:
If you receive an unexpected phone call or message asking for your information or money, always remember to Stop, Challenge, Protect.
Ask yourself if the request could be a scam? Verify the request directly by contacting the company using details found on a recent bill or on their official website.
Your bank or the police will never ask you to transfer money to a safe account or contact you to ask for your full PINs, passwords or passcodes.
It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
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.
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.
