Identifying and preventing fraud - your questions answered

1. If I was the victim of identity theft, what signs should I be looking out for and how do I protect myself against it?

"If you’re the victim of identity fraud then you may find that someone has taken out a financial product, such as a loan or a credit card, in your name. Look out for any bills, invoices or receipts addressed to you for goods or services you haven’t asked for, or any items on your bank or credit-card statements that you do not recognise. Always keep your personal documents safe and be careful when throwing away any bills and statements, preferably shredding them before they go in the bin. I fyou receive a request to provide personal or financial information, you need to take a moment to step back and reflect on the situation. Yes, even if they say they're your bank or another trusted organisation, you still need to take the time to think to yourself: 'My money? My info? I don't think so.'"

2. How can I best protect myself when using my credit card over the telephone or online?

"Shopping online or over the phone is easy, convenient and generally very safe, but it can also provide an opportunity for criminals to commit financial fraud from a distance. If you’re using a retailer for the first time, always take time to research them before you give them any of your details and simply trust your instincts - be suspicious of prices that look too good to be true. Access the website by typing the address into your web browser and be wary of clicking links in unsolicited emails."

3. I'm worried about the rise in use of contactless credit cards – are they really safe or can they be easily cloned?

"Contactless cards are based on the same secure system as Chip & PIN, and feature a range of robust security features to keep you safe. From time-to-time you’ll be asked to enter your PIN to prove you are in possession of your card. You must be extremely close to someone for their gadget to be able to read your card. There’s no way anyone can get access to the important details such as the security code on the back of the card, your name and address, or bank account details. If you are a victim of card fraud you will get your money back from your bank and will never be left out of pocket."

4. Is there a central site for reporting scam calls/phishing?

"If you think there has been fraud on your card or bank account, report it immediately to your bank or financial services provider and then contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. Action Fraud is the police’s national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre. If you are in Scotland, contact Police Scotland on 101."

5. What is the easiest and safest way to determine a scam email?

"There are seven ways to spot whether an email you’ve been sent is a scam:

• The sender’s address doesn’t match the website address of the organisation it says it’s from. Roll your mouse pointer over the sender’s name to reveal its true address.
• The email doesn’t use your proper name - using something like “Dear customer” instead.
• There’s a sense of urgency, asking you to act immediately.
• There’s a prominent website link which may seem like the proper address, but with one character different.
• There’s a request for personal information.
• There are spelling and grammatical errors.
• The entire text of the email is within an image, rather than the usual text format, and the image contains an embedded hyperlink (to a bogus site). Again, roll your mouse pointer over the link to reveal its true destination."

 

6. How safe is it having apps such as Barclays banking on your mobile and payment apps such as Apple Pay?

"Banking apps are all built with security in mind. Always make sure that you download it from the official app store for your mobile device. Also, keep your phone’s operating system updated with the latest security patches and upgrades. Just like with internet banking, don’t share your login details for your mobile banking with anyone." 

 

7. What should you look out for on ATMs to ensure that they are safe to use?

"Devices attached to a machine by fraudsters can be really hard to spot, so the best way to stay safe is to shield the keypad when entering your pin and avoid using a machine that has signs of tampering. Be aware of people watching you and, if so, cancel the transaction and go to another machine. If your card is retained by the machine, report it to your card company immediately. Make sure you have your card company’s 24-hour contact number stored in your mobile phone."

 

8. How can you tell if calls from your bank or another official outlet are genuine? 

"A genuine bank will never phone and ask for your PIN, full password or to move money to another account. Only give out your personal or financial details to use a service that you have given your consent to, that you trust and that you are expecting to be contacted by."

 

9. How do I know a website is safe? I heard relying on https is not the best idea?

"When a website changes from "http" to "https" it shows that a secure connection has been made. When you’re banking online, be wary of any unexpected or suspicious-looking pop-ups that appear during the session. Check the online banking security options your bank provides – some offer free anti-virus and browser security software."

 

10. Do you have any tips on how to help keep elderly family members safe from fraud?

"Regularly talking to your friends and family about fraud is a good way to help keep everyone safe. With fraudsters often trying to target people with scam calls, texts and emails, attempting to get them to reveal their personal details or transfer cash, then knowing the warning signs of a scam is vital. So, make a point of sitting down with your friends and family (and a cup of tea) to talk about scams. We have our Take Five Over Tea guide to help you. There are also some tools available to help you weed out the scammers – for example many phone companies offer a call blocking service." 

 

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