Are there any tools or products people use to protect themselves against online scams?

I check who has sent it (i.e. the actual email address it came from).

As Notspagetti says I check the email address where it has come from. You can also check the properties for what are known as "full headers" which will show the path it took.

Since I run a business I get a few scam emails every week. Mostly people (with unlikely looking email addresses) sending me fake invoices for something I never bought and was never likely to.

The latest this week was for hire of a marquee. Yeah, right. I am most unlikely to want to invite sufficient guests to fill such a big space.

There are plenty of ad-blockers that are designed to prevent pop ups/fake warnings and so on.

Do they have an antivirus? Antivirus software stops (mast) phishing emails.

*most not mast.

This is quite good:

stopscamsuk.org.uk/159

It's a link to check genuine calls from banks etc.

Just never respond to anything and never click on anything in an e-mail or text. Go to the company involved via the proper website or phone number, where you can check for yourself.

That's it really, very simple.

It's harder if you are not very good online and involves more complex thought though Chestnut.

My mother-in-law now just leaves any emails she's wary of for my husband and I to check.
She's recently had some with a friend's name in the heading but the spelling of the surname isn't quite right. She has left those for us to check.

Gut instinct, common sense and remembering nobody loses out if you put the phone down or delete the email?

Exactly RosiesMaw, plus do not be greedy, if it looks too good to be true, it is too good to be true.

Never ever respond to cold calls especially if they want to sell you a financial product or investment.

Once you realise a call is from someone you do not know about something you have never enquired about. Do not say a word, just put the phone down.

I never open emails from sources I don’t recognise for at least two or three days, the security system on Apple is pretty good at filtering them out, but it doesn’t happen immediately.

Usually if an e-mail is genuine it will have the company¨s name somewhere in the e-mail address - if it does not, don't open it, but move it to your junk folder.

Private e-mails should end on one of the e-mail services we all know - hotmail.com, outlook. com gmail.com etc. If it doesn't don't open it.

Don't click on links if the e-mail tells you, your visa card has been or will be annulled or your subscription to this that or the other - these are all scams, as like as not.

No country's Inland Revenue sends anything by e-mail, nor do banks, insurance companies, government offices etc.

Apart from using common sense, it is wise not to be in a hurry when checking your e-mail - take the time to consider whether you know the sender.

Any domain calling itself xyz.com or the like is bogus, so read the entire sender's address.

Likewise if you never have heard of MarvellousBargains.com it is because I made it up right now - my point being that anyone can call themselves anything they like, but that does not make them a reliable company.

Is there anywhere to report phone numbers of scam texts? I got one of those, "Mum, my phone is broken, I'm phoning from my work phone and it's out of battery, can you phone xyz number."

Easy for me to ignore because my daughter doesn't have a work phone, but I would have liked to be able to report it.

Re checking the email address, if a friend's address has been hacked then it will appear to genuinely come from them. I fell for this recently. I received an email which appeared to come from a close and trusted friend telling me that she wanted to discuss something but had lost her voice. Unthinkingly, I replied and immediately an email came back asking me to buy Amazon gift cards for her. I knew then that it was a scam but I was so annoyed with myself for replying as I know that we communicate through WhatsApp and not email. I should have twigged straight away. I am not surprised that people fall for scams as, if the circumstances are right, it can all seem to be so plausible. I change my passwords on a regular basis, just in case, but I am not sure how effective that is.

I'm sorry to say I delete all e-mails and texts that I don't recognize without trying to verify the address and obviously without clicking on any links.
If it's serious the Sender will get in touch with me another way- that is my reasoning.
Apparently AI is going to make fake e-mail addresses even more realistic. Don't ask me how !

If you are unsure of a phone call check with Who called me. I've very often found the number has been reported several times as a scam.

NotSpaghetti

It's harder if you are not very good online and involves more complex thought though Chestnut.

My mother-in-law now just leaves any emails she's wary of for my husband and I to check.
She's recently had some with a friend's name in the heading but the spelling of the surname isn't quite right. She has left those for us to check.

But my method doesn't involve any complex thought, it's very simple. Don't respond to anything, go to the official website if you want to check something.

Others are posting a list of rules and regulations which would be too much for someone who is not very good online. I doubt they would remember all that.

Chestnut I was really referring to emails from "friends" who aren't actually in the message above. Name slightly wrong etc

I think the OP is fishing.

or phishing ?

stop using google and all its products

Me too Jaxjacky. Hence I haven’t commented. Last time it was about talking to elderly relatives about finances. A journalist? I notice they haven’t returned.

No wellbeck 🎣. They’ve caught a few tiddlers too.

I’ve been using Guardio for a little while now, and it’s really given me peace of mind. I get a lot of suspicious texts and emails, and this tool helps me figure out what’s safe and what isn’t. It’s saved me from clicking on links I would’ve otherwise trusted, which I’m really grateful for.

One of the best parts is that my daughter actually added me to their account, so we’re all covered. It’s been a big relief, especially since I don’t always feel confident with tech. I’m glad I gave it a try. It makes life much less stressful (and it’s stressful enough as is!)

I seem to get more calls than emails. So fed up as they seem to come at awkward times and I dash to pick up the phone for it to be a scam. My mobile actually warns me about a number being likely to be a scam and I can then click and they block any more calls from that number. Thinking of getting rid of the landline.