In May 2021, Action Fraud UK received 2,110 scam call reports in which the caller’s number matched the first 7 digits of the victim’s phone number.
The calls pretend to be from The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) or law enforcement bodies, and instruct the recipient to “press 1” to speak with an advisor or police officer regarding unpaid fines or police warrants.
HMRC or National Insurance were addressed in 1,426 (68%) of the cases. Victims have also reported receiving such calls and messages through popular messaging apps like WhatsApp.
What you must do to safeguard yourself
- Remember Government and law enforcement agencies will not call or text you to inform you of unpaid fines or outstanding police warrants. If you receive any calls or texts concerning these, ignore them.
- Always take a minute to pause and consider your actions before parting with money or personal information; this will help you avoid becoming a victim of fraud. Remember that it’s perfectly acceptable to decline, refuse, or dismiss any request. Only criminals will attempt to frighten or rush you.
- If you receive a suspicious text message, forward it to the number 7726 to report it. It’s completely free.
- Suspicious telephone/mobile calls can be reported to Action Fraud via their website: police.uk/report-phishing.
Everyone needs to watch out for it because it happens to everybody; and getting scammed can be costly. Thus, be careful, follow this advice; and always keep your eyes and ears open to anything that even remotely sounds off because it may very well be scammers looking for their next victim. With Siccura Cybershield programmes you can be aware and stay alert.