Courier Fraud

Criminals may contact residents while pretending to be bank staff. They may claim that an account has been compromised, fraudulent transactions have been detected, or that money must be moved to a “safe account”.

Common claims include:

• Your bank account has been compromised.
• Your bank card needs replacing.
• Your money is at risk and must be moved to a “safe account”.
• You need to withdraw cash to assist with an investigation.
• A courier will collect bank cards, cash, valuables or gold.
• You are asked to withdraw money and post it to an address provided by the criminal.

What to do:

• End the call if it is unexpected.
• Use a different phone to call the organisation back where possible.
• If using the same phone, wait at least five minutes before making another call.
• Call 159 to verify a caller claiming to be from your bank.
• Never call a number provided by the caller.

Investment Scams

Investment scams may use fake platforms, cloned financial firms and AI-generated videos of celebrities or business figures. They may appear through social media, online adverts, ઇમેઇલ, text messages or WhatsApp.

Warning signs:

• Guaranteed or unusually high returns.
• Pressure to act quickly.
• Unexpected contact through social media, WhatsApp or phone calls.
• Celebrity endorsements that cannot be independently verified.
• Firms claiming FCA authorisation but using contact details that differ from the FCA Register.

Protect yourself:

• Do not assume an investment is genuine because it looks professional.
• Do not believe claims of guaranteed, low-risk or exclusive returns.
• Check the firm’s details on the FCA Register.
• Speak to someone trusted before transferring money.

Smishing Text Message Scams

Smishing scams use fraudulent text messages to steal personal, financial or banking information. Criminals often impersonate trusted organisations and create urgency to make people click malicious links.

Current smishing trends include:

• Parcel delivery scams claiming a failed delivery from Royal Mail, Evri, DPD or Amazon.
• HMRC tax refund scams claiming you are owed a rebate or need to settle a tax issue.
• DVLA scams claiming your driving licence needs renewing, updating or verifying.
• Bank impersonation messages claiming suspicious payments or locked accounts.
• “Hi Mum / Hi Dad” messages pretending to be a child using a new number and needing money urgently.

Protect yourself:

• Never click links in unexpected text messages.
• Never use contact details provided in the message.
• Go directly to the official website or app if unsure.
• Forward suspicious texts to 7726.

Fake Customer Service Numbers

Fraudsters are using AI tools and search engines to trick people into calling fake customer service numbers. Criminals may create fake websites, phone numbers and search results that appear to belong to trusted companies.

Protect yourself:

• Use contact numbers from the company’s official website, app, bill or correspondence.
• Be cautious of numbers found through search engines or AI tools.
• Never assume the first search result is genuine.
• Check website addresses carefully before calling.
• Never give passwords, PINs, one-time passcodes or online banking details over the phone.
• If something does not feel right, hang up and contact the company using a trusted number.

“Hi Mum / Hi Dad” Text Scam

Fraudsters may claim to be a son or daughter whose phone has been lost, damaged or replaced. The aim is to build trust before requesting money.

Some messages exploit current events or weather conditions to appear more believable, before asking the recipient to contact a new number or send money.

What to do:

• Do not reply to the message.
• Contact your loved one using their usual number.
• Verify that they are safe and that the message is genuine.
• Forward suspicious text messages to 7726.

General advice

Fraudsters are becoming increasingly sophisticated and may use current events, fake websites, cloned firms, AI-generated content, spoofed names and urgent messages to make scams appear more convincing.

Stop. Think. Check.

• Do not rush into making a payment or sharing personal details.
• Check contact details independently.
• Use official websites, apps or correspondence.
• Speak to someone you trust before transferring money.
• Report suspicious activity promptly.