Report Fraud and Internet Crime 0300 123 2040.
I found this article in the Bury St Edmunds and District Flyer. The information is something that we all should pay attention to.
People receiving scam emails and other communications are urged to report them to Action Fraud.
What should you do if you’ve received a scam email?
· Do not click on any links in the scam email
· Don not reply to the email or contact the senders in anyway
· If you have clicked on a link in the email, do not supply any information on the website that may open
· Do not open any attachments that arrive with the email
Why should you be reporting phishing or malicious software?
· A key element to tackling cybercrime is information- please take 5 minutes to fill in the Action Fraud reporting tool with your online fraud experience. Your report will help to build an intelligence picture which can be used by police and other anti-fraud organisations to combat fraudsters
What are we looking for?
· Phishing- any email/call/message which has been received claiming to be an official body and asking for personal details, has promised rewards, prizes or shares of fortunes for small fees
· Malware- this is an unwanted software which has adversely affected your computer, phone or computer device. It may have been downloaded when you were visiting a website or via an email link
The reporting tool is only if you have experienced phishing or malware approaches but NOT lost any money or exposed your personal details. Go to https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud for the reporting tool.
If you think you may have compromised the safety of your bank details and/or have lost money due to fraudulent misuse of your cards, you should immediately contact your bank. If you have lost money report a crime on 101 or http://www.suffolk.police.uk/contact-us/report-something/report-crime.
Fake emails often (but not always) display some of the following characteristics
· The senders email address doesn’t tally with the trusted organisations website address
· The email is sent from a completely different address or a free web mail address
· The email does not use your proper name, but uses a non-specific greeting like “dear customer”
· A sense of urgency- for example the threat that unless you act immediately your account may be closed
· A prominent website link. These can be forged or seem very similar to the proper address, but even a single characters difference means a different website
· A request for personal information such as user name, password or bank details
· The email contains spelling and grammatical errors
· You weren’t expecting to get an email from the company that appears to have sent it
· The entire text of the email is contained within an image rather than the usual text format
· The image contains an embedded hyperlink to a bogus site
Over the phone, fraudsters will often
· Claim that they’re from your bank and ask you to go through security with them
· Offer you a product or service from a company you’ve never heard of, but which seems to be a great deal
· Offer you something from a company or organisation you have heard of
· Misrepresent what’s being offered- for example, offering too good to be true mobile phone contracts or insurance
· Make it hard to say no or suggest that agreeing to what they’re saying is the only option you have
Through the post, fraudsters will often
· Offer get rich quick schemes, fake lotteries and prize draws along with bogus health cures, investment scams and pyramid selling schemes
· It’s important to note there is a difference between scam mail and legitimate mail sent by companies to advertise lawful services or the sale of genuine goods. Scam mail is sent for the sole intention of obtaining money through deception and/or fraud
· Remember- if it sounds too good to be true it is almost 100% guaranteed to be an attempt to swindle you out of your money
· If you think you or a family member is receiving scam mail, you can report it to the Royal Mail. Go to https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/303 for further information
Stay S.A.F.E
Suspect anything or anyone
Ask questions
Find out who you’re dealing with
End situations that make you feel uncomfortable