SHOPPERS need to be on the lookout for scams this Christmas, as fraudsters are rife at this time of year.
December is prime time for unscrupulous scammers to take advantage of people doing their Christmas shopping or awaiting parcel deliveries.
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Figures from Action Fraud show that some 17,405 shoppers were conned out of money over Christmas 2019 – and the numbers are only going up.
Online shopping fraud surged by 30% as the Covid pandemic took hold and people were forced to make more of their purchases over the internet.
It’s easy to get caught up in the festivities or the excitement of bagging a bargain and finding that perfect gift, but there are some telltale signs to watch out for when buying online to avoid a scam.
Unfortunately, the fraudsters only seem to get more creative each year.
Sam O’Brien, an expert at marketing platform Affise, says: “As we head closer to Christmas Day, it’s more important than ever for online shoppers to be wary of any suspicious texts, emails or even phone calls they may receive from scammers claiming to be from a well-known brand or company.”
He points to three main scams to watch out for this Christmas.
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Refund scams
Refund scams are particularly easy to fall for, because it’s exciting to think you may be due a windfall out of the blue.
The message may purport to come from your phone or broadband provider, your bank or even your local council or HMRC.
Refund scams usually encourage the recipient to click on a link and hand over their bank details in order to “claim a refund”.
But you should be wary of any message asking you for sensitive information.
Sam says: “This applies to any financial information like bank details through to passwords and secret answers for security questions.”
His advice is never to click on any links inside a message, especially if it’s one you weren’t expecting.
“These links can open and download Malware on to your phone or computer, which can not only steal personal information, but also slow down the device.”
Other things to watch out for include spelling mistakes or strange wording in a message.
Check the details of the sender too – it may appear to be from a legitimate company but the email might be spurious, or the logo on the website it takes you might seem slightly off.
If you receive a suspicious message report it.
Scam texts can be forwarded and reported to 7726, a free service that looks into fighting scams.
Bank scams
Bank scams can have devastating consequences, with fraudsters conning people out of their life savings.
These scams usually rely on creating a sense of urgency.
A fraudster may call to flag suspicious activity on your account, and encourage you to move your money to a so-called safe account.
Alternatively, you may receive a text or email suggesting there has been a fraudulent transaction on your account or a payment made to someone you don’t recognise.
These might ask you to click a link to a report, which may get you to hand over personal details.
Sam says: “A scam often prompts recipients to act instantly and has a tone that implies emergency action is required.
“This is to play on the emotions of the person receiving the message and encourage them to take action and respond to the scam.”
If you receive a call out of the blue from your bank, the best thing to do is hang up.
You should then call the phone number on the back of your debit or credit card from a DIFFERENT phone line.
Your bank will never call unsolicited to ask you for personal details, pressure you give information, or tell you to move your money to a safe account.
Parcel delivery scams
Parcel scams became very common during lockdown as more people than ever before were having items delivered to their homes.
These cons involve texts or emails that pretend to be from a delivery firm such as Royal Mail, DPD or Fedex.
Sam explains: “They usually take one of two forms; the first being a ‘missed parcel’ message that has a link to update your new delivery preferences.
“The other type is an ‘outstanding shipping fee’ message that states the postage fee isn’t enough and requires the recipient to pay for the difference.”
Scams are often successful because they catch us off guard, when we’re not prepared.
They also tap into our behaviours and as we have more deliveries, rely on the fact that we’re used to getting updates and might not always remember what we’ve ordered or when it’s supposed to arrive.
If you receive a message, don’t click the link and don’t hand over personal details or payment information.
You can report fraud and cyber crime to Action Fraud either online by calling 0300 123 2040.
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