Financial scams. What to look for and how to avoid them.

Transcription

1 Financial scams What to look for and how to avoid them.

2 Keep your money secure We take the security and wellbeing of our customers very seriously. So we ve created this guide to highlight the most common types of financial scams, how to recognise them and what to do if you think you ve been affected.

3 Things to look out for Anyone can be misled by a scam, but if you know what to look out for you re much less likely to be caught out. Being contacted out of the blue by phone, text message, or people knocking on your door Being pressured to make quick decisions Being offered the best deals, guaranteed returns on investments or high interest rates. If an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) says the companies they regulate are unlikely to contact you unexpectedly or pressure you into making a decision. If they do, you should report them to the FCA straight away.

4 Types of scam Phishing s Phishing s look like they ve come from a bank or building society and invite you to click a link that takes you to a website that looks genuine but turns out to be fake. The website is designed to steal your personal information, so you ll usually be asked to enter your personal details. If an looks suspicious, don t click on links, open attachments or respond to requests for personal details. Smishing These text messages might say there s been fraudulent activity on your bank account or something that prompts a sense of urgency. You might be asked to call a number or visit a fake website where you ll be asked to update your personal details. Don t open links sent in text messages, open attachments or give out personal information if you re not sure who you re giving it to. Vishing Vishing is when you get a phone call, supposedly from your bank, building society, other reputable business or law enforcement agency, asking for things like your banking password or PIN, so they can try and access your account. A genuine bank or building society, business or law enforcement agency will never ask for your banking passwords, PINs, login details or security questions. Pension scams Changes made in April 2015, which allow people to access their pension at 55, have given way to early pension release scams. These are designed to persuade you to release funds from your pension, which are transferred into fake investment opportunities and never seen again. If you re thinking about entering into a scheme to access your pension before 55, you should seek independent financial advice from a regulated firm. Ignore text messages, s or cold calls that come out of the blue offering early pension release opportunities. The government only allows early access to pension funds in limited circumstances and early pension release schemes are not authorised by HMRC.

5 Your personal information You can protect your personal information by looking out for things like s, text messages and phone calls that come out of the blue and appear to be from your bank or another legitimate company. Investment scams Dishonest investment advisers might pressure you to invest quickly in unique commodities like wine, land, bonds, carbon credits, diamonds and graphite with the promise of high returns. Some will advertise in the national press and have websites that look authentic. A bona fide financial adviser will never guarantee high returns on an investment. The FCA website has a record of company phone numbers, which you can call to check if they re genuine or not. Boiler room scam This type of investment scam usually involves non-existent or overpriced shares and you might be pressured into making a decision to invest without having time to think. Some of the companies also advertise in the national press and set up fake websites, while others clone real companies using a similar name and direct you to the real company s website to appear legitimate. Unregulated scams Sometimes real firms will offer you an investment opportunity, which isn t regulated by the FCA. If this happens it pays to be cautious, because you won t be protected by the Financial Services Compensation scheme if things don t go to plan. Doorstep crime Doorstep crime often starts with unsolicited visits from trade or salespeople knocking on your door and saying they ve noticed problems with your house just by looking at it from the outside. They ll usually quote for expensive work and ask for payment up front, but then don t do the work, leave it unfinished or do it to a poor standard.

6 How to protect yourself Digital dos and don ts Computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones are vulnerable to phishing, smishing and vishing, but there are ways you can keep them protected. Install anti-virus software to protect your devices Keep your web browser updated with the latest security updates Check the privacy settings on your social media accounts to make sure you re not sharing personal details with people you don t know or trust Never give an unsolicited caller remote access to your computer. Tips to avoid scams If it looks too good to be true, it probably is Take some time to think before committing to deals or offers Don t sign anything or handover money until you ve checked credentials Be wary if you re asked for money up front Don t agree to take a loan or remortgage your home to fund an investment opportunity Watch out for offers of help to get back money that s been lost to a scam. It could be an extension of the same scam Shred bank statements, phone bills and other correspondence before you throw them away. Find out how to protect yourself from financial fraud. Visit skipton.co.uk/security-centre/fraud-awareness If you re unsure about an , text message or phone call that appears to be from Skipton, call us on

7 Useful to know You ll only be covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and the Financial Ombudsman Service if you deal with companies that are regulated by the FCA The FCA website has a list of unauthorised firms to avoid, which is regularly updated Financial services organisations can only legally operate in the UK if they have a register number, which can be found at fca.org.uk/register. What to do if you ve been scammed Stop sending money straight away and contact your bank if you think someone has access to your account. It s important to report the scam to prevent the same thing happening to someone else. Action Fraud line Report investment fraud to the FCA Useful websites cifas.org.uk Cifas offers fraud prevention advice and identity protection for individuals and vulnerable people. takefive-stopfraud.org.uk Take Five is a national campaign that offers straightforward and impartial advice to help people protect themselves from financial fraud. fca.org.uk/scamsmart The Financial Conduct Authority website provides useful information on how to avoid investment and pension scams.