Bank scams: New advice issued to people in Sheffield as fraud cases surge

More than half of these scams involve goods bought online that never arrive and never existed at all, with the average scam costing victims £980.

Nick Drewe, a money saving expert at discounts platform Wethrift, is warning online shoppers to be wary of bank scams as e-commerce grows and scammers become increasingly manipulative.

Nick has shared some of the most common scams circulating so we can all be aware of them.

Text Messages

Scammers often use text messages to either warn you of problems with your account or falsely tell you someone is attempting to withdraw money from your account. Then, a link is provided – clicking the link and giving personal details makes it immediately easier for hackers to breach your accounts.

Phone Calls

Phone calls from scammers are usually security-related, such as telling you someone has hacked your bank account or that you are a victim of identity fraud.

"Authorised push payment scams can be really effective as fraudsters can easily ‘spoof’ phone numbers, meaning calls or text messages will look like they're coming from your bank when it's not actually your bank contacting you,” said Nick Drewe.

"If you are contacted and asked for details like your Pin, email password or 16-digit debit card number, do not give them out. Whilst the scammer may already know some personal information about you already, having these extra details will make it a lot easier for them to hack into your account.”

Nick also highlights and warns us how we can spot these bank scams.

"Remember that your bank or the police will never call to ask you for your Pin number or full banking password, ask you to withdraw or transfer money to any other account, or send someone to your home to collect cash, a Pin number, cards or cheque books,” he said.

"It will also never ask you to share any sensitive information about yourself or your account, or move your money out of Monzo and into a different account - and a real bank will definitely never tell you to take out a loan.”

To help avoid becoming victims of online fraud and scams, Nick has shared some tips on how to avoid them.

Set Strong Passwords: Best way to avoid fraudsters is to set a strong password, avoiding birth dates and family names, and making them unpredictable as possible. It is also key to never store your passwords somewhere that can easily be accessed, such as notes on your phones.

Do your research on a company: Always do research on companies you come across, especially when making purchases such as car insurance. Check reviews, websites, business address and landline before even thinking of giving personal details.

Be aware of a site’s URL: Always check the website address when online shopping – it should always begin ‘https’ and always have a locked padlock symbol.

Make sure internet connection is secure: Your home wifi should always be password protected and be more careful on unprotected networks such as libraries, as this data is far easier to breach.

Wethrift: https://www.wethrift.com/tag/united-kingdom