Every month, we’ll be looking at the most prevalent scams or those that have been identified by law enforcement agencies like Action Fraud and listing them in our blog.
The list below is not exhaustive, and there are thousands of scam emails, text messages and cold call scams out there, and you should always remain vigilant. This list shows the scams that have been spotted and reported the most , and displays those we feel you ought to know about based on what we have discovered via Action Fraud, the National Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting Centre.
Many people ignore or delete emails that look like scams or phishing attempts. But actually, reporting them to Action Fraud allows them to gather intelligence and then announce scam warnings. Forward suspicious emails to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS): report@phishing.gov.uk
Most phone providers are part of a scheme that allows customers to report suspicious text messages for free by forwarding it to 7726. If you forward a text to 7726, your provider can investigate the origin of the text and arrange to block or ban the sender, if it’s found to be malicious.
More information about how to report scams - including phone scams and fake websites - is available on the Action Fraud website: Report a phishing attempt
Below are the scam warnings for the most prevalent scams currently. Click on the black arrow on each image to reveal a slideshow which includes information about the scam, an example of what the scam typically looks like, and helpful guidance.
Boots
Watch out for these fake Boots emails offering a free Medicare kit. They are designed to steal your personal and financial information.
Booking.com
Action Fraud has received 532 reports, with a total of £370,000 lost, from emails impersonating Booking.com.
Cold Weather payment scams
Action Fraud has received over 4,000 reports of suspicious emails relating to the winter fuel payment and other support schemes.
Cryptocurrency scams
Beware of the cryptocurrency scams.
With AI technology constantly evolving, crypto scams like celebrity endorsements videos and fake exchange sites can be hard to spot.
Follow these tips to protect yourself
✅Don’t rush into making a decision.
✅ Seek advice first.
✅Protect yourself and check the FCA Warning List: http://fca.org.uk/scamsmart
TotalAV
Watch out for these fake emails. Action Fraud has received over 8,000 reports of emails purporting to be from TotalAV.
Reporting
Report all Fraud and Cybercrime to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or online. Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk. Report SMS scams by forwarding the original message to 7726 (spells SPAM on the keypad).