The Analysis Comment
Facing the fraudsters
Scammers are contacting consumers impersonating Cifas and asking for details which could be used to facilitate identity fraud
Sally Felton Director of intelligence and member experience, Cifas
Last month, we warned the public to stay vigilant of the ever-changing tactics that scammers are using to extract money and information.
Scammers impersonating Cifas We has received reports of scammers emailing victims pretending to be from a Cifas department. In these scam emails, recipients are asked to provide personal details which could be used to facilitate identity fraud and are signed from ‘CIFAS’. We will never contact consumers out of
the blue to ask for personal or banking details, and any communications will be sent from Cifas email accounts. When receiving communications from Cifas, recipients should carefully check the email address for any spelling mistakes and ensure it has come from an official Cifas email address. Any recipients who may have provided
their details to one of these scam emails should contact us using details on our website and report the case to Action Fraud or Police Scotland. If bank details have also been provided, then victims should alert their bank immediately.
email address appear genuine. They should also check with the addressee to ensure they received their parcel, and if possible track the delivery using tracking details provided when the parcel was sent. If personal and banking details have been
provided in response to one of these scam emails, victims should report the case to Action Fraud or Police Scotland and contact their bank immediately.
DVLA phishing scam The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has issued a warning of scam messages attempting to fool motorists into handing over personal and banking details. These scam messages will often claim
With the nation back into lockdown, we can be confident they will continue to look for new and innovative ways to attempt to steal our personal and financial information – especially with an increasing number of us shopping and transacting online
Incomplete Royal Mail delivery scam With the ongoing restrictions over the Christmas period meaning people could not meet up to exchange gifts, many resorted to sending parcels over the festive period – and criminals took note. There have been a number of reports of scam emails and texts from Royal Mail notifying recipients of parcels which were unable to be delivered over Christmas, often claiming this was due to an ‘incomplete address’. These fake messages are redirecting recipients to phishing websites
which ask them to enter personal and banking details to pay for a rearranged delivery. However details provided on these websites may be used in future
fraudulent conduct, such as identity fraud. Anyone who receives this or a similar email should carefully
inspect the sender’s email address as scam emails will often include an extra letter, number or full stop in an attempt to make the fake
12
the driver has overpaid their car tax and is due a refund, or that there has been an issue with payment and they must update their information. Anybody who has provided details to one
of these scam messages should report a case to Action Fraud or Police Scotland and con- tact their bank immediately. Criminals are always on the lookout for
the latest vulnerabilities in day-to-day life to take advantage of. With the nation back into lockdown, we can be confident they will continue to look for new and innovative
ways to attempt to steal our personal and financial information – especially with an increasing number of us shopping and transacting online. People need to remain vigilant against these scams and think
carefully when responding to any requests by email, text or telephone. Never click on links provided in emails or texts, or give your personal or financial details to anyone over the phone or on your doorstep – no matter how legitimate the caller appears. Remind elderly or vulnerable friends and family about this advice;
we have all read stories about people falling victim, so getting these messages out to your loved ones has never been more key than now. If you believe you have become the victim of a scam then inform
your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud or Police Scotland. CCR
www.CCRMagazine.com February 2020
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52