10 signs you’re being scammed (and how to avoid getting caught)

Money

Scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with fraudsters learning new and clever ways to use the latest technology to try and deceive unsuspecting victims. 

Recent data by Independent Age revealed that 61% of people aged over 65 have reported being a target of financial fraud. With this in mind, online retailer Chums reveals 10 warning signs you or your loved one is being scammed – and shares advice on how to avoid falling for the scams.

1) Unexpected messages

Unsolicited or unexpected messages are a good sign of a scam. Whether they are fake bank alerts, unfamiliar login notifications, or missed delivery notifications about parcels you didn’t order.

These types of messages can often try to lead you into giving personal details or making a small payment as part of clever phishing scams. With this data, they may create false accounts in your name or make larger payment withdrawals using your bank details.

To combat this scam, always contact the bank or business directly to confirm if the message is legitimate.

2) Winning contests you didn’t enter

Keep vigilant, and don’t fall for the “You’re a winner!” trick. If you are connected to a competition, you don’t remember entering, whether that is receiving an email, text, letter or another method, this is probably a scam. These types of messages are often phishing scams designed to steal your personal information or social media login credentials.

When receiving a competition notification, check your previous emails and/or messages to confirm if you entered it or not. If you cannot find a record of entering, it is best to ignore these messages.

3) Browser pop-up notifications

Whether you use Google Chrome, Firefox or another web browser when scouring the internet, you’ve probably encountered a pop-up alert. Most users are familiar with the infamous “Congratulations! You’re a winner!” style pop-ups and, more recently, pop-ups warning of infections or slow performances. Typically, these pop-ups occur when you accept notifications for sites you shouldn’t trust and prompt you to download something or contact a phone number to fix the problem. 

It is best to ignore browser pop-ups. Clearing your cache, history, and cookies will help remove these pop-ups. If the issue persists, take your device to a trusted device repair shop and ask them to repair your device. 

4) Unusual online ads

Be cautious of online ads that seem out of place or offer products at unusually low prices. These ads could be promoting fake websites designed to steal your payment information. Whether the product looks unrealistic due to the use of AI or the ad uses a store logo/name that is not the same as the advertiser or URL, these are often short-run scams that are used to scrape your payment details.

Avoid ordering from ads that seem too good to be true. Look for products on trusted and familiar sites, and always ensure you are ordering from the official site, as opposed to a dupe or scam site. Be wary too of scam Facebook ads promoting the closing down sale of a ‘much-loved family business’.

5) Too-good-to-be-true offers

Offers that can seem too good to be true, in reality, probably are. From impossible discounts such as offers that are 90% off, to incredible high-paying job offers, it’s important to be skeptical. It might seem worth the risk to try and get a great deal, but these scams are often elaborate phishing scams designed to steal your details and money.

Try to verify the authenticity of these offers. Check the website’s trust score, or check Trustpilot to confirm if it is a genuine site. If you cannot confirm the offer is legitimate, avoid it altogether.

6) “Family” messaging from unknown numbers

Scammers often play on emotions. One often exploited emotion is concern and the urge to help friends and family in trouble.

Often, scammers will send feigned messages of distress asking for financial help. More recently, these scams have involved cloning voices and deepfake videos. Always ensure the messages are legitimate, whether it is contacting that person’s usual number from another phone or using a “password” system.

One common scam is a text from your child with their ‘new mobile number’, like this one:

This is known as the Hi mum text scam, and usually results in your ‘child’ asking to borrow money from you.

In these circumstances, if you don’t have a password in place, it is best to try to contact your loved one through other means, such as on social media or through another loved one. 

7) Unusual links from social media contacts

If a friend, family member or mutual friend shares a suspicious link on social media, either in a post or direct message, their account may have been compromised. Try to reach out to them directly through a different channel to confirm if they sent the link.

Never click on a link you don’t trust, even if it is shared by a trusted friend. Flag these messages or posts to the social media platform and let them confirm if they are legitimate.

8) Pressure to act quickly

Urgency and rushing is another tactic that people who use text scams often employ to pressure their targets into making immediate decisions, hoping to prevent them from thinking clearly. Legitimate businesses and organisations will never rush you.

If a business or caller is trying to pressure you, inform them you call them back and end the call. Once you’ve ended the call, contact a trusted person, such as Citizens Advice or Action Fraud and confirm if the caller is legitimate.

9) Generic greetings

Any email that does not use or attempt to use your name is something to be suspicious of, especially if they are trying to make claims about your banking or services. Scammers will often use titles and address you as “Sir” or “Madam” instead of using your name. Legitimate organisations, especially your bank or service providers, will typically know your name. 

Never give away your personal information to these individuals, and if they cannot confirm your identity contact the organisation they are claiming to be directly, and check if the call is genuine.

10) Attempts to isolate you

If you’re contacted by a scammer, and when you try to speak to someone else, such as a friend or family member, scammers will typically try to keep you on the phone or prevent you from discussing the situation with others. This is a major red flag. Never hesitate to consult with a trusted friend or family member before making any decisions, and feel confident in ending calls and contacting the organisation they claim to be directly, using a number or email from their official website.

If someone is attempting to prevent you from speaking to others, end the call or cease contact immediately and speak to a trusted person or entity. This can be a family member, carer or even a helpline such as Citizens Advice.