How to keep yourself safe from scams

Every week thousands of people lose lots of money to scams. A SCAMis when you areTRICKED. You give money to someone who is tricking you. This can happen:

  • over the phone
  • by post
  • by someone knocking on your door
  • by a message on your computer.

How do you protect yourself from a scam? Here is some advice.

/ How to keep safe on the phone
People trying to trick you want to get your trust.
  • They might say they are from your bank
  • They might say they are from a well known company.
Do not spend too long talking to anyone if you are suspicious (you do not believe them).
/ It is a SCAM if:
  • Someone offers you something that seems too good to be true
  • You are put under pressure to agree something quickly
  • You are asked to hand over your bank or credit card details to someone who phones you
  • You are asked to make a payment using UKCASH or Pay Safe.

/ Remember – if it feels wrong, it is wrong!
/ Do not give your name and phone number when you answer the phone
Do not say you are alone
/ If someone phones and tries to sell you things that you don’t want, say ‘No thanks’ and put the phone down.
/ If someone becomes rude and abusive over the phone, say nothing and put the phone down. If you keep getting abusive phone calls, tell the police.

/ NEVER give out or put your bank card details over the phone when somebody calls you.
Banks will NEVER ask for your PIN number over the phone.
They will also NEVERphone you and then ask you to phone them back.
Keep Calm and Hang Up


/ Someone may phone pretending to be a BT engineer and tell you that you owe some money. As far as you know, you don’t owe any money.
The person may threaten to cut off your phone. They will probably ask for your bank card details
REMEMBER – BT or any other phone company would NEVER ask for money over the phone – you would get warning letters.
Keep Calm and Hang Up

/ You may get a call - a recorded message - saying you have won a competition, or a lottery. The prize may be something really big like a lot of money or a cruise. The call will ask you to press a button to speak to someone to claim a prize. You might then be asked to pay a small fee to collect your prize.
This is aSCAM or TRICK. Put the phone down. Don’t give any money or any bank card details.
Keep Calm and Hang Up

/ You may receive a call saying you have a virus on your computer. The person will say they are from some well known company. They may ask you to switch on your machine and download some software to protect your computer from the virus.
This is aSCAM or TRICK. REMEMBER computer companies will NEVER telephone customers with this sort of message.
Keep Calm and Hang Up
/ You can reduce the number of ‘cold calls’ - calls from people you do not know - by registering your phone number for free with the Telephone Preference Service at or by phoning 0845 070 0707

/ trueCall Care is a system that can help protect you. It plugs in between the phone and the phone socket.
When a call arrives, it checks the caller’s number. If someone you trust calls, then the phone rings for you as normal. It stops all other callers getting through and plays them a message such as ‘This person is only taking calls from friends and family members. If your call is important, please callso and so (this might be a family member, or member of staff) on this phone number.
trueCall Care is easy to install but you have to buy the Call Blocker machine.

/ SCAM or TRICK MAIL
You can get similar things happening to you by letter to try to trick you out of money. One of the most common ones is telling you that you have won a prize in a competition or a lottery.
If you have any doubt at all about a letter you get from someone you do not know, either throw it in the bin and do not answer it, or show it to someone you trust to get advice.
/ You can reduce the number of unwanted letters by registering free with the Mailing Preference System at or by phoning 0845 703 4599.

/ Bogus or TRICK Callers
Sometimes people may call at your door without letting you know they are coming, and try to get you to let them in. This may be so that they can steal your money or other valuable things.
  • They may claim to be from the Council, the police, the electricity company.
  • They may say they are looking for a lost pet.
  • They may offer to fix your roof or some other part of your house.
  • They may even use ‘props’ (things that would help them trick you) such as an Identity card (ID) or wear overalls with a badge.


/ Some advice:
Official visitors should ALWAYSarrange an appointment with you beforehand. They shouldNEVER call on speck, or without any warning!
  • Keep all your doors locked.
  • Put the chain on the door before opening it.
  • Ask for the person’s I.D and check it by phone with the company they say they work for.
Don’t agree to have work done by anyone until you have checked them out.
Don’t hand over any money.
IF IN DOUBT KEEP THEM OUT!


Sylvia Crick
ARC Scotland

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