Beware of doorstep scams
It can be challenging to distinguish between a genuine doorstep seller and a scammer.
Doorstep scammers are people who show up at your front door out of the blue with the intention of either tricking you out of money or gaining access to your home.
It’s important to be cautious when dealing with strangers who appear unannounced at your doorstep, good advice is to always say NO.
Cyber-romance scammers
Romance scammers are targeting vulnerable individuals on charity Facebook pages that focus on sensitive topics such as mental health, bereavement and ageing. We’ve seen scammers lurking on pages belonging to Age UK, The Good Grief Trust and Mind.
Romance scammers often use grooming techniques, where they connect with their victims before exploiting them financially.
Remember, it’s crucial to stay vigilant and cautious when interacting with strangers online, especially on platforms where vulnerability is prevalent.
Beware of fake Microsoft fraud protection emails
If you have a Hotmail or Microsoft Outlook email account, watch out for fake ‘fraud protection’ emails that prompt you to log into your account.
These emails claim to be from the Outlook Support Team, are flagged as ‘high priority’, and state that they come from a ‘trusted sender’. The messages inform you that there’s been suspicious activity on your account and say you’ll need to click a link to log in. If you do so and enter your details, you could end up giving personal information to scammers, potentially compromising your other accounts.
Microsoft will never ask you to provide personal information or login credentials via email.