Category: security (Page 1 of 3)

September 28, 2025 / / 0 Comments

The Hidden Costs of Online Q&A Services: What You Need to Know

If you’ve ever searched online for help with a tech issue, a legal question, or customer service support, you may have come across websites like Howly or JustAnswer. They promise instant access to verified experts for a small fee—often just £1. But behind that tempting offer lies a subscription model that could quietly drain up to £50 from your account each month.

What Are These Services?

Howly and JustAnswer are online platforms that connect users with professionals across various fields—law, tech, healthcare, and more. They often appear at the top of search engine results, especially when you’re looking for help from companies like Apple, BT, or Virgin Media.

The catch? That £1 fee is just the beginning. Unless you read the fine print, you might unknowingly sign up for a recurring monthly subscription.

Real Stories from Real Users

Several users have reported being misled by these services:

  • One man thought he was chatting with Aviva’s customer support. He paid £1 expecting a refund, only to discover a £24 charge from Howly. Thankfully, he caught it early and cancelled.
  • Another user believed she was speaking with Octopus Energy. After paying the initial fee, she was hit with a second charge and flagged by her bank for suspicious activity.
  • JustAnswer has similar complaints. One person thought they were speaking to a BT engineer, paid £1, and later found £35 missing from their account. Another assumed it was a free tech forum—until the charges appeared.

How Do These Sites Reach You?

These platforms often use paid ads to appear in search results. JustAnswer (based in the US) and Howly (promoted by Cyprus-based VHAPPS Limited) are verified advertisers on Google. Their ads sometimes mimic official support channels, using phrases like “Virgin Online Chat 24/7” or “Contact BT Customer Services.”

On Bing, Howly ads have even outranked official websites for Apple, BT, and EE. It’s easy to see how someone in a hurry could mistake them for legitimate support.

What Do the Tech Giants Say?

Both Microsoft and Google have responded to concerns:

  • Microsoft says it’s investigating and will remove any ads that violate its misleading content policies.
  • Google insists it enforces strict advertising standards and continues to invest in technology to protect users.

Why You Should Be Cautious

While these services do disclose their pricing—eventually—it’s often buried in the payment process. Refunds may be possible through direct contact or by using chargeback protections via your bank. But the burden is on you to spot the charges and act quickly.

When tested, both platforms failed to clearly identify themselves. In one case, JustAnswer’s chatbot claimed to be “Pearl Chatbot, Apple Technician’s Assistant”—a name that could easily mislead users into thinking they were speaking with Apple.

Regulatory Oversight and Reviews

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority has received multiple complaints about JustAnswer and one about Howly. Though informal rulings led to ad changes, no formal investigations have taken place.

On Trustpilot, JustAnswer has two profiles—one with mostly positive reviews, and another (my-secure.justanswer.co.uk) with 97% one-star ratings. Trustpilot has since closed the latter to new reviews and redirected users to the main profile.

JustAnswer also operates another site, Chatwithtechsupport.co.uk, which currently holds a 100% one-star rating.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for expert advice online, be cautious. These services may offer convenience, but the cost can be steep—and not always transparent. Always double-check the website you’re on, read the fine print, and monitor your bank statements for unexpected charges.

August 3, 2025 / / 0 Comments

By Virgin Media Edit

When we’re on holiday, we’re often relaxing in unfamiliar surroundings. This makes a lovely change of pace from the daily grind, but it’s also the perfect environment for losing devices – whether you accidentally drop your phone in a pool or are unlucky enough to be targeted by pickpockets in a piazza.

Hopefully, neither of those things will happen. But implementing some extra security measures before you go will help limit the damage if the worst happens. Here are some steps to consider: 

Back up your devices. Even if your phone or tablet does go walkabout, backing up means you can restore your treasured photos, messages or music collection on another device. Back-up methods vary depending on device, but are rarely tricky – a quick online search for your model of device and “how to back up” will give clear instructions.

Lock all devices, including e-books, with a password, passcode or passphrase. If your device allows it, a passphrase is harder to crack than a simple word or collection of numbers. Think of a simple run-on sentence (eg “I love Ibiza”), then throw in some special characters and different cases (eg “i L0v3Ib1£a”).

Approve all pending software updates. Yes, even those you’ve been snoozing for a month. They often include fixes to security issues, so you’ll be getting the best possible protection.

Turn off functionalities you don’t need. Wireless technologies such as Bluetooth and NFC should be switched off when you’re not using them, especially in public places. Leaving them on may make your device more vulnerable to hackers.

Remember, less is more. If possible, don’t pack all your devices: the fewer valuable items you have to protect and remember while you’re on holiday, the better. It also means that if something goes wrong, you’ll know you have a device at home where you can easily access all your accounts and data.

Be sensible on the socials. This is particularly important if you’re leaving lots of precious items at home (which you probably are). Holiday periods often see spikes in burglaries, because criminals know homes are sitting empty while people are away.

We’re not saying you should go off-grid, but it’s worth thinking twice before posting that you’re about to head off to the beach/mountains/coast. Consider only sharing holiday details and photos once you’re home – and avoid adding your location to posts while you’re away.

Beware public devices. Steer clear of using public computers and tablets in hotels, airports, and libraries if you can – you just don’t know who used them previously or what viruses or malicious software might be lurking on them. This is particularly important to bear in mind if you want to log into important accounts such as online banking, email or social media.

If you have to use a public device to check personal accounts, remember to log out of everything and clear the online browser history before you leave. When you next have access to a secure device, consider changing the passwords for the accounts you used in risky places. A password manager will make this process much easier.

Take care where you connect. If you sync your phone in a rental car to use features such as music or hands-free calling, be aware that the rental company (plus any subsequent drivers) may then be able to see your contacts and other synced information. That’s just one example of why it’s important to think carefully before connecting or charging your devices on holiday.

When connecting, pay attention to the warnings on your mobiles and tablets asking if you want to allow syncing of your contacts and photos. Feel free to say no!

Use the internet less. It’s safer not to connect to public Wi-Fi if you can avoid it. If you’re holidaying in Europe, it’s preferable to use mobile data, which is more secure than public Wi-Fi networks. Most mobile carriers still allow customers to use UK minutes, texts and data in the EU at no extra charge. Just check your contract before you travel.

Have fun. Remember, digital security shouldn’t make your life harder or your holiday less enjoyable. You don’t need to be paranoid and hyper-vigilant about the risks to your devices; in fact, it could spoil your trip.

But by taking these simple steps ahead of time – and paying attention to the digital devices and services you use while you’re away – you’ll be able to properly relax, safe in the knowledge that you’re as protected as possible. Have a good trip.

July 26, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Online privacy shouldn’t be such a burden. It’s dull and onerous to delete old, forgotten accounts and methodically work through privacy settings. But it’s worth it when data breaches continue to hit organisations.

1. Run a privacy checkup for your Google account

⏱️ How long does it take? Around 10 minutes to check settings for an existing account.

For many people, Google is the web – using Chrome to access Gmail, relying on Maps to get around, watching YouTube videos and so on. But Google is also one of the world’s largest online advertising companies, which is worth bearing in mind when it comes to protecting your privacy.

Setting up a new Google account

If you’re creating a new account, you’ll be offered an Express setup or a Manual one – choose the latter, as it walks you through the various privacy settings. That includes Web & App Activity, where Google collects data for personalisation.

Revisiting an existing Google account

If you already have a Google profile, log in, select your profile picture and head to Manage your Google Account. Choose Data & Privacy to see the available options.

Depending on your settings, you might see privacy suggestions available at the top of your screen. You can review the suggestions there if you’re short on time – or manually check your account using the instructions below.

Under History settings, click on Web & App Activity to disable Google’s personalisation across its own services. Entirely disable this service, or delete specific activity such as ad interactions, wider collection of data from Google-affiliated services, and the use of voice and audio activity.

From the Data and Privacy screen, you can also check the following:

  • Under Personalized ads, head to My Ad Centre to toggle the button to disable the use of your data to show ads specific to you. 
  • Click Search personalisation to turn off personalisation such as autocomplete and recommendations – although these handy tools may be worth keeping enabled as they can be real time savers.
Google privacy settings

While we’re talking privacy, consider enabling 2FA for your online accounts.

2. Try Google’s Password Manager

⏱️ How long does it take? Around 10-20 minutes to open the tool, sort through your saved passwords and update compromised ones.

If you’re already putting your trust in the Google ecosystem, it’s logical to also rely on the company’s wider safety tools. Its Password Manager (passwords.google) makes strong, unique passwords easier to use and warns if any are spotted in a data breach.

The tool will show you a list of stored passwords for your online accounts – shopping websites, social media accounts and gaming services, for example. Expanding one will display your username and password, plus associated URLs.

Visit the Checkup screen to see if Password Manager has identified any weak passwords, reused passwords or compromised passwords. Compromised passwords should be updated immediately. (See also: how to create secure passwords)

June 6, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Adverts on social media platforms are tempting shoppers to buy items that don’t exist, are of poor quality or aren’t as described.

There have been a range of cases where people have been misled into purchasing counterfeit and dangerous goods, as well as items that simply never turn up. 

There seems to be no end to these rogue retailers popping up and conning innocent shoppers. They use slick social media adverts showing tempting offers, but what arrives are low-quality alternatives shipped from China. To make matters worse, if you’ve been lured in by a rogue retailer, then your chances of getting your money back are low. 

Sometimes, a rogue retailer can be hard to spot, especially as freely available AI tools can be misused to create convincing images and product descriptions. 

If you’re tempted by an offer you’ve seen online, you should follow these steps before you part with any money:

  1. Assess how reasonable the offer is Prices that sound too good to be true usually are.
  2. Check for signs of a newly created website Use a domain checker, such as who.is, to see when the website was created. If it’s recent, then you should avoid it.
  3. Use TinEye or image search on Google to see if images in adverts and on websites have been used anywhere else on the internet. 
  4. Watch out for poor spelling, bad grammar and phrases that don’t sound right.
  5. See if the website lists a physical address Businesses should have this, as well as a phone number or email address to contact them.
  6. Check if the company’s website lists a shipping and returns policy If it’s legitimate, it should have this.
  7. Look at reviews across several sources to get a sense of the experience of other shoppers.
November 22, 2024 / / 0 Comments

The text isn’t relevant to you

Have you received a text message that claims you’ve won a competition you didn’t enter? A parcel delivery fee you weren’t expecting? Or a final demand on a bill you’ve never seen? If you get a text out of the blue that either doesn’t feel relevant or too good to be true, ensure you never click on any links.

The call-to-action is a link

Clicking on a link in a scam text message could expose your phone to malware that may compromise its security, or take you to a fake version of a brand or company’s website to gather personal information. Ask yourself, what is it asking you to do, and is there a way you can find out? For example, if it’s an account-based query, visit your account another way, because it could be a scam text.

The link doesn’t look official

If the link looks dodgy to you, the chances are you’re correct. Links that don’t contain any of the company or brand’s normal URL structure, or use link-shorten tools such as bit.ly, are often giveaways. Equally, if the text message has come from a random unrecognised number, you should be wary about what it asks you to do.

It’s a different style to previous messages

Even if the message appears in the same chain as previous messages from a company or brand, it doesn’t mean this latest one is real – scammers can spoof real phone numbers to make them look authentic. So, does it look like all the others you’ve received? Is the style different? Is it asking you to do something they’ve never asked before?

For example, if previous messages have asked you to log into your account via an app, but this latest one says to click a link, it may not be genuine.

All the usual signs

As with email and phone scams, the common traits are the same for text scams. Does it convey a sense of urgency (positive or negative), often coupled with a threat to meet a deadline. Does it contain spelling or punctuation mistakes? And is it asking you for personal details? If in doubt, as mentioned above, ensure you never click on any links.

QR code scams

April 27, 2024 / / 0 Comments

QR codes have become a popular way to open websites and pay for products and services. But not all of them are secure. Cyber criminals can use QR codes to steal personal and bank details. Here we tell you what you can do to avoid QR scams.

Quick response or “QR” codes are like barcodes. When we scan them with a mobile phone camera, a link to the information they hold appears.

In today’s digital world, QR codes are used to browse restaurant menus, to connect to public Wi-Fi, to pay for parking, and to redirect users to a website.  

For cyber criminals, the QR code fad creates an opportunity to steal people’s identities or hack into their bank accounts and make off with their money.

QR code scams

QRshing is a form of phishing. It uses QR codes to send users to a fake website that spreads malware or elicits confidential information. Cyber criminals posing as real companies send phishing emails with a QR code and ask users to scan it. Then, they attempt to obtain information or spread virus-infected files.

Another common scam is the false QR code stuck on top of an original one, like in restaurants and street advertising. False QR codes can even be found on parking meters, linking to a credible but fake payment site to steal money or credit card information.

Scams that use inverted QR codes are also gaining traction. Scammers first create a malicious code and then use it as a presumed payment method. But the code does exactly the opposite: it solicits money from whoever scanned it. Instead of paying the merchant for an item or service, the malicious QR code makes the merchant pay the scammer. This type of scam is also used to steal personal information and bank details.

How to avoid a QR scam

  • Before scanning a QR code, like in a restaurant or some other public space, check that it hasn’t been tampered with or got a sticker placed over an original code.
  • Installing anti-virus software to verify original QR codes that do not contain malicious links will help you avoid having a virus or other malware downloaded onto your mobile.
  • Double-check the preview of the QR code link. When you scan a QR code, a preview of the URL should appear. Make sure the website address is legitimate. Look for a padlock symbol and an address that begins with “https://”. Only those URLs are secure.
  • Think twice if the app or website you’re being directed to asks you to provide personal details. If it does, make sure it’s authentic.

March 29, 2024 / / 0 Comments

In the UK, one in every five minutes spent online is on social media platforms. They are where we catch up with friends, shop, job hunt, or even look for love with many of us using these sites/apps on a daily basis. Each day the average UK internet user spends 39 minutes on sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Tinder, WhatsApp and LinkedIn. Some of us may be spending even more time online as we find ourselves at home more often than we’d like to be. Unfortunately, some scammers are using the platforms that we know and trust to trick people into parting with their money.

We’ve compiled a list of the top four scams seen taking place on social media.

Purchase scams

Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat are all amazing ways for us to keep up with our friends and families, especially in the current climate. They’re also where many people find the latest clothing trends, phones, or games console for what appear to be competitive prices. But how can you tell if these goods really exist and are going to be delivered?

If you have to send money prior to receiving the goods, try and arrange to send it via a secure platform such as Paypal (and don’t use the friends and family feature if you are sending the funds to a stranger) or offer to pay a deposit before the item is sent. If a seller refuses, this may be an indication that it is a scam. If you’re looking at splashing some serious cash (such as for a car or holiday), we would recommend doing thorough research on the seller, such as checking to see if they have online reviews and also requesting to see documentation, such as an invoice before handing over any money. If the price seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

Impersonation scams

“Hey, I need a favour. I’m struggling to pay my rent. Would you be able to transfer £300 to me and I’ll pay you back on payday? ”

What would you do if you received this message via Facebook Messenger from a friend or family member? You’d want to help them if you could, but bear in mind that many social media platforms can be hacked, and fraudsters will reach out to contacts asking for money, appealing to people’s good nature. They may even read through previous messages sent by the hacked person’s account so they know how to mimic their tone of language, making their message seem even more convincing. The best way to avoid this scam is a good old fashioned phone call to your friend on a trusted phone number to confirm that it genuinely was them sending the request.

Romance scams

So you’ve swiped right on Tinder and found the perfect match for you! You have great conversations and spend weeks messaging back and forth. Then out of the blue, they ask you for £1,000 because they need to help a sick relative abroad with their medical bills.

This is just one scenario that a fraudster might use to try and persuade you to send them money. They may also play with your emotions by advising they are sick/in danger or try and convince you they are in love with you.

Scammers will often use pictures of models found on Google on their dating apps/website profiles to make them appear to be the ideal man/woman so if possible try and do a video call to make sure you are speaking with the person in the pictures. If they are avoiding phone or video calls with you, this could be an indication that they are not who they say they are.

Do some research on this person – you can check their Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin pages and if things don’t add up, this may also suggest you are not speaking to a genuine person. Anyone can fall for a romance scam, they are often complex and can take place over a long period of time, so don’t be embarrassed to express any concerns with a friend or family member.

Investment scams

’Get rich quick’ or ’double your money’ investment posts encouraging you to invest in foreign exchange (AKA Forex), cryptocurrencies and binary options are plastered all over social media, and are particularly prevalent on Snapchat and Instagram at the moment. These investments almost always don’t exist. Genuine investment companies would never approach clients over social media and would always be registered on the FCA register.

How to spot and avoid Christmas shopping scams this year

December 17, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Christmas is a time when it’s so easy to get distracted – presents to buy, family and friends to feed and, often, it involves more travelling than the big fella with the beard. But when there’s so much going on, it’s easy to let your normal common sense lapse. Scammers know that all too well, meaning the holiday season is a prime opportunity for them

How to spot scam websites

Have you ever been on a website that just feels a bit off? Something about it that doesn’t feel right? One of the most prevalent scams during the Christmas season are fake websites. Scammers create sites that mimic well-known retailers, offering enticing deals and discounts to make you want to click. These scam websites can be very convincing. But interacting with them gives criminals either your personal details, your money or both.

While losing money is bad for obvious reasons, criminals stealing your personal details is no laughing matter either. If they get vital information, such as your name, login credentials or credit card number, they can use them for identity theft or sell these details to other criminals on the dark web.

How to avoid scam websites:

  • Stick to online shopping sites you know and access them only through their official websites.
  • Check the website URL (web address) for any mistakes.
  • If it’s an online store you don’t know or haven’t previously used, check their contact information and returns policy, as legitimate shops don’t hide them.
  • Search for reviews on trusted review sites. Watch out for exclusively positive reviews from profiles that sound fake, such as Amy113 and Tim231.

How to spot too good to be true deals

We’re all hunting for the biggest bargains this Christmas, especially with the cost of living. But our search for great offers can lead to taking bigger and bigger risks. While many Christmas shopping deals are genuine, some are just too good to be true. Scammers may advertise products at unrealistically low prices to lure shoppers.

But let’s face it, no one is going to sell a new iPhone for £100. Once a payment is made, the scammer disappears. Alternatively, you’ll get something totally different than what was promised. Another trick is to offer a discount for a very limited time. For example, saying a sale ends in just 10 minutes. This trick is used to make you buy fast and carelessly, so you don’t have time to validate the seller’s authenticity.

How to avoid too-good-to-be-true deals:

  • Be sceptical of deals that seem too good to be true, and very short-lasting deals.
  • Shop with well-known, reputable retailers.
  • If you do see a deal with a retailer you’ve never shopped with previously, do you know someone who has previously shopped there who could recommend them?
  • Like with fake websites, check trusted review sites and check social media for any complaints.
  • Use price-comparison websites to ensure the deal is consistent with the market price.

How to spot delivery scams

When time is short, online retailers are convenient. But while you might gain time in skipping the high street, you’ll often lose it again waiting for the deliveries to come. That can cause anxiety, especially if you need to head out on other errands, and scammers will seize on that apprehension. That’s why they’ll try their luck sending fake delivery notifications as a text message to your phone – even managing to mimic the company’s name in the sender line.

These scam messages seemingly come from the likes of FedEx, DHL, Evri or other well-known delivery companies claiming they have a package waiting for you. To arrange a delivery, they will ask you to install their app or click the link in the message. However, these apps or links are malware that may steal your bank credentials and eventually your money.

How to avoid delivery scams:

  • Verify the tracking number independently through the official carrier’s website.
  • If you need to arrange a delivery, do it from the carrier’s web page or on the phone.
  • Do not install applications outside of official app stores and have antivirus installed.
  • Never click on a link. Again, anything that needs to be verified can be done independently through official channels.
  • Be cautious when providing personal information in response to unsolicited delivery notifications.

How to spot email scams

Your inbox will be filled with emails this time of year from lots of high street or online retailers featuring great Christmas offers and deals. But amongst them will also be scam emails. Scam emails combine many of the tricks mentioned above and are one of the most common ways that scammers will use to try and steal your money and personal information.

They are disguised as coming from well-known brands and direct you to scam websites with enticing offers or delivery notifications. Another typical trick is to tell you that your payment or credit card was declined, and to change it, you just must enter your credit card number again. Scam emails can also lure you to download malicious attachments.

How to avoid email scams:

  • Always double-check the email sender’s address. Legitimate retailers use domain names that match their brand.
  • Be wary of unsolicited emails and don’t click on suspicious links. Instead, visit the retailer’s official website directly.
  • If an email says that your payment or card was declined, go to the service in question through their website, not the link in the email.
  • Don’t open suspicious attachments. If your antivirus warns you, do not skip the warning.

How to spot social media scams

We spend a lot of time on socials, and these platforms can be a great way at finding deals, discovering new products (#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt) or entering giveaways or competitions. But, you’ve guessed it, because these are popular online pastimes, scammers will try and lure you in on social media platforms, often through fake contests.

You’ll have seen these posts or received direct messages like these in the past. These posts promise free products or gift cards in exchange for personal information or sharing the post.

How to avoid social media scams:

  • Verify the legitimacy of the social media account or page before participating in any giveaway or contest.
  • Be cautious when asked to provide personal information in exchange for freebies.

It’s important to recognise that scammers are active all the year-round. While they may amplify their efforts during Christmas, they don’t take a holiday for the rest of the year. Whether it’s Christmas or any other time of the year, remember to remain informed, stay safe, and safeguard your financial well-being. Happy shopping, and may your online journeys always remain free from scams.

Don’t Get Tricked on Facebook Marketplace

October 26, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Facebook is where people connect, and in recent years more people have been using Facebook to connect in another way: buying and selling with each other. This activity started in Facebook Groups and then Meta introduced Marketplace, a convenient destination to discover, buy and sell items with people in your community. Anyone with an active Facebook account can list or buy items with no hidden fees, however there has been a recent increase in people getting scammed when shopping for things like cars, tickets and clothes on Facebook Marketplace.

Fraudsters pretend to be genuine sellers

Social media and online marketplaces often fail to stop fraudsters from offering items for sale. Fraudsters may seem like other sellers, appearing friendly and giving away personal details to make you believe they’re genuine. All they want is for you to send money to their bank account. Fraudsters won’t let you pay by card or another way that protects your money.

Here are some things to look out for:

Is it too good to be true?
•It’s not a bargain if it never turns up.
Do you have to pay right away?
•A genuine seller won’t pressure you into a quick sale.
Can you meet the seller in person?
•Look for things nearby so you can check the item before you pay.
Will they let you pay by card?
•Never pay by bank transfer. Pay by debit or credit card to protect your money.

The most common items fraudsters sell

Fashion

Popular items like designer clothes and trainers are favourites for fraudsters to sell.

Can you pay by card? Is the item available elsewhere at the same price? If not, it could be dodgy.

Vehicles

The DVLA website lets you check a vehicle for free.

Before buying a vehicle, inspect it and have a test drive. The vehicle may be genuine but the advert could be fake.

Fraudsters often promise to deliver a vehicle or a vehicle part if you pay upfront.

Tech

Computers, game consoles and smart phones may be cheap for a reason.

Be suspicious if you can only pay by bank transfer.

Holidays

Avoid a holiday or rental nightmare.

Genuine companies are protected by ABTA or ATOL.

Be suspicious if someone wants you to pay outside a booking site.

Use your card to protect your money.

Tickets

Tickets for sold out or popular shows and events may tempt you.

Always pay by card or a payment service that offers buyer protection.

And only buy from ticket companies or sites registered with The Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR).

Online Banking – Keeping Safe

October 1, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Spotting fraud and scams

While fraud and scams are not new, advances in technology give criminals more ways to attempt to access your money. Getting to know the techniques they use can help you protect yourself and your money.

Fraud or scam?

In everyday use, the words fraud and scams are used interchangeably. However, we think it’s useful to use clear definitions.

Fraud happens to you, scams happen with you.

Examples of fraud would be having your card skimmed, identity theft and computer malware which steals your details. In these cases, you’re not aware of what the criminals are doing and haven’t given your authorisation.

Examples of scams would be where a criminal attempts to convince you to send them money, give away access to your bank details or launder money. Scams actively involve you as the account owner and work through engineering a situation to make you believe it’s genuine, so you give your authorisation.

Below are some of the most common types of fraud and scams.

Remote access scam

Remote access scams attempt to convince you to allow them access to your Online Banking. These are often cold calls from scammers who say that they’re from telecommunication or computer companies or (for businesses in particular) an IT department or Technical Support.

The warning signs are:

  • a cold-caller says they can fix your slow computer or refund you money
  • an unexpected call from someone claiming to be from your IT department or Tech Support
  • the caller asks you to give permission for them to remotely access your computer
  • the caller asks for your banking or personal details.

These callers will ask you to log on to your Online Banking, to check it’s not been impacted by the fault, and then attempt to remotely access the computer to ‘help’ you with the problem.

Giving anyone remote access allows them to release malicious software and gain access to personal data.

Cash machine skimming

Using a cashpoint is easy, convenient and almost always safe. But sometimes criminals tamper with cash machines to steal your card information, or PIN.

Here are a few things to look out for when you use a cashpoint.

  • A device might be placed over the card slot which scans your card details, or a fake keypad may have been placed over the top of the real one. Look out for parts of the cashpoint machine that appear a different colour or material to the rest.
  • Tiny cameras the size of a pinhead can be drilled into cash machines which photograph you and your card while you take cash out. Look out for damage or possibly stickers that could be trying to cover up damage where holes have been drilled.
  • Someone could simply be looking over your shoulder while you’re taking out cash to try and see your PIN. Then they find a way to take your card by distracting you.

Keeping yourself safe at the cashpoint:

  • if the cash machine looks like it has been tampered with, don’t use it
  • when entering your PIN, cover it with your hand
  • look out for anybody standing too close or trying to distract you.

You can find an A-Z of fraud and scams on Action Fraud’s website

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