Staying safe from Festive Fraudsters

Unfortunately, the chaos of Black Friday and Christmas is fertile ground for scammers. Here are three things to be aware of as the festive season approaches:

Here are some common scams and what you should look out for:

Delivery notification scams

During the busy shopping period, scammers will take advantage of the fact that you’re quite likely to be waiting for one or more deliveries. They can send messages that look really convincing, that look like they’re from legitimate sources.

Do not click any links, do not provide any information. Check directly with the companies you’ve purchased from, where you’ll find trustworthy and up-to-date delivery information. If you want to contact a company, Google their details rather than clicking on a link in an email or text message.

Order confirmation scams

Very similar to the above, but instead you’re receiving a fake “confirmation” for an order you never made. These messages can create instant panic, particularly if its for a large amount. Don’t click on any links, and don’t provide any further information. Block the sender and delete the email. You can settle your mind by checking your bank account to see if any unexpected transactions have occurred.

Billing error scams

Similar to both of the above, but with additional scare tactics. If you receive an unexpected message, seemingly from a legitimate business, informing you that there was a problem with your payment and encouraging you to click a link to rectify “AS SOON AS POSSIBLE” – take a moment and assume this is a scam.

You can always check directly with the merchant you made the purchase with, to find out if there is an issue.

Gift cards, fake coupons and vouchers

It can be tempting to be lured in by a great deal, especially at the moment – while our money isn’t going as far as it used to. Scammers know this, especially in the lead up to Christmas.

It is common for scammers to use fake gift card offers, coupons and vouchers to lure in unsuspecting people. If you receive an email, or see a message on social media, offering gift cards, coupons or vouchers – be very wary. It is highly likely to be a scam. Do not press on these links, and if you do – don’t give any personal information, such as your email address, any passwords or your credit card or account details. These are known as “phishing” sites, which scammers use to lure you in and get as much personal information as they can, so that they can go on to impersonate you and access your secure accounts – including your bank account.

Account verification scams

If you receive an urgent message, seemingly from a trusted source (maybe even from your bank), urging you to click a link quickly to “secure” your account from an unauthorised login, with a suspicious looking URL supposedly to take you to a “login” page – this is another phishing scam. Block the sender, and delete the message. Do not click on the link, do not provide any personal information. It’s always better to access your account through your usual methods (your app, or by typing the actual URL into your browser), where you can see if there are any issues there.

Marketplace listing and fake delivery scams

These ones are simple: scammers post non-existent items on marketplaces like Facebook, eBay and the like, customers buy them, and they never turn up. Here’s how you can try to avoid these scams:

If you find any reason not to trust the seller, take the safe route and don’t make the payment.

Software scams

This one isn’t directly related to Black Friday or Christmas, but we are seeing an increase in this type of scam and want to make sure everyone is aware. This scam is where fraudsters, posing as people who work at your bank,  convince you to download a piece of software in order for them to help you protect your account. When in reality, this piece of software allows them to view your screen and  access, control and administrate your devices remotely. This means they can see all your conversations, all your security information, and all the security codes that are sent in the app and via sms.

We will never ask our customers to download an app or allow us to remotely access their device. If someone is asking you to do this, hang up immediately and contact us in the app to let us know – it is a scam.

What if I fall for a scam?

If you do fall for a scam, let us know immediately in the app. We will do everything in our power to help you, to protect your money and if you do end up losing money, we will do our best to help you get it back.

Always remember: Scammers succeed by making you feel stressed and hurried. Always take a step back from an unexpected stressful or rushed situation, take a deep breath and think: Is this real? Or am I being scammed?