Skip to content
Money Helper logo Money Helper logo Money Helper logo Money Helper logo Money Helper logo Money Helper logo
Cymraeg
  • Benefits
  • Everyday money
  • Family & care
  • Homes
  • Money troubles
  • Pensions & retirement
  • Savings
  • Work
  • Universal Credit

    Find out how Universal Credit works and how to manage your payment

    Benefits if you have children

    Entitlements to help with the cost of pregnancy or bringing up children

    Benefits if you’re sick, disabled or a carer

    Understand what support is available for coping with ill health

    Benefits in later life

    You may be entitled for help with other costs on top of your State Pension

    Benefits and work

    Extra support if you’re working, self-employed, or you’ve lost your job

    Benefits to help with housing costs

    Support to help with rent or mortgage payments if you’re on a low income

    Problems with benefits

    What to do if something goes wrong with your benefits

    Benefits

    All Benefits guidance

    Tools

    Calculator

    Benefits calculator

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions

  • Banking and payments

    How to choose, use and manage bank accounts

    Budgeting

    How to budget, find the best deals and switch to save money

    Buying and running a car

    How to buy and finance a car, deal with problems with car finance, and cut running costs

    Credit

    Credit basics, applying for credit, credit ratings and problems with credit

    Insurance

    Insurance for cars, health, travel, and help with insurance

    Everyday money

    All Everyday money guidance

    Tools

    Tool

    Compare bank accounts

    Tool

    Budget Planner

    Tool

    Your options for borrowing money

    Tool

    What to do when you’ve been refused credit

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions

  • Becoming a parent

    Having a baby, returning to work, childcare costs

    Death and bereavement

    Wills, inheritance, sorting out estates

    Divorce and separation

    Sorting out money and homes, what if you have children, money after break ups

    Illness and disability

    Managing costs, extra financial support, help with work or study

    Long-term care

    Paying and getting funding, ways to pay, problems with care

    Student and graduate money

    Credit cards, bank accounts, student debts

    Talk money

    Difficult conversations, talking to teenagers, older people and partners

    Family & care

    All Family & care guidance

    Tools

    Calculator

    Divorce calculator

    Calculator

    Baby costs calculator

    Tool

    Budget Planner

    Calculator

    Benefits calculator

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions

  • Mortgages and homebuying

    Mortgages, help buying, remortgaging, first-time buyers, help and support

    Renting

    Help renting a home and dealing with problems

    Homes

    All Homes guidance

    Tools

    Calculator

    Stamp Duty calculator

    Calculator

    Mortgage affordability calculator

    Calculator

    Mortgage repayment calculator

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions

  • Help with the cost of living

    Budgeting, paying bills, finding extra financial support, coping with job loss

    Dealing with debt

    Bills, court fines, help with debts

    Money problems and complaints

    What to do about mis-selling, compensation and complaints

    Scams

    Spotting scams and what to do if you’re caught out

    Money troubles

    All Money troubles guidance

    Tools

    Tool

    Debt advice locator

    Calculator

    Benefits calculator

    Tool

    Bill prioritiser

    Tool

    What to do when you’ve been refused credit

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions

  • Building your retirement pot

    How much do you need, ways to build your pot, transferring and merging

    Pensions explained

    Starting a pension, types of pension, understanding pensions

    Pension problems

    Complaints, financial help when retired, changes to schemes

    State Pension

    How it works, what you might get, National Insurance

    Taking your pension

    Ways to draw your pension, when can you retire, Pension Wise appointments

    Tax and pensions

    Tax allowances, tax paid on pensions, tax relief

    Pensions and retirement

    All guidance, including how to use the Pension Wise service

    Tools

    Appointment

    Book a Pension Wise appointment

    Calculator

    Pension calculator

    Tool

    Money Midlife MOT

    Tool

    Find a retirement adviser

    ALL TOOLS

    Book your free Pension Wise appointment

    Over 50? Get free, impartial guidance from our government-backed service. We’ll explain your options for taking money from your pension pots.

  • How to save

    Getting started, getting the most out of savings, problems

    Investing

    How to invest, types of investing, buying and managing

    Types of savings

    Help with meeting goals, tax-friendly saving, saving for children

    Savings

    All Savings guidance

    Tools

    Calculator

    Savings calculator

    Tool

    Budget Planner

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions

  • Employment

    Basics, benefits, tax and National Insurance

    Losing your job

    What to do, alternatives, redundancy pay

    Self-employment

    Starting out, insurance, tax, self-assessment

    Work

    All Work guidance

    Tools

    Tool

    Budget Planner

    Calculator

    Redundancy pay calculator

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions

  • Benefits
  • Everyday money
  • Family & care
  • Homes
  • Money troubles
  • Pensions & retirement
  • Savings
  • Work
  • Universal Credit Find out how Universal Credit works and how to manage your payment
    Benefits if you have children Entitlements to help with the cost of pregnancy or bringing up children
    Benefits if you’re sick, disabled or a carer Understand what support is available for coping with ill health
    Benefits in later life You may be entitled for help with other costs on top of your State Pension
    Benefits and work Extra support if you’re working, self-employed, or you’ve lost your job
    Benefits to help with housing costs Support to help with rent or mortgage payments if you’re on a low income
    Problems with benefits What to do if something goes wrong with your benefits
    Benefits All Benefits guidance
    Tools

    Calculator

    Benefits calculator

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions

  • Banking and payments How to choose, use and manage bank accounts
    Budgeting How to budget, find the best deals and switch to save money
    Buying and running a car How to buy and finance a car, deal with problems with car finance, and cut running costs
    Credit Credit basics, applying for credit, credit ratings and problems with credit
    Insurance Insurance for cars, health, travel, and help with insurance
    Everyday money All Everyday money guidance
    Tools

    Tool

    Compare bank accounts

    Tool

    Budget Planner

    Tool

    Your options for borrowing money

    Tool

    What to do when you’ve been refused credit

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions

  • Becoming a parent Having a baby, returning to work, childcare costs
    Death and bereavement Wills, inheritance, sorting out estates
    Divorce and separation Sorting out money and homes, what if you have children, money after break ups
    Illness and disability Managing costs, extra financial support, help with work or study
    Long-term care Paying and getting funding, ways to pay, problems with care
    Student and graduate money Credit cards, bank accounts, student debts
    Talk money Difficult conversations, talking to teenagers, older people and partners
    Family & care All Family & care guidance
    Tools

    Calculator

    Divorce calculator

    Calculator

    Baby costs calculator

    Tool

    Budget Planner

    Calculator

    Benefits calculator

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions

  • Mortgages and homebuying Mortgages, help buying, remortgaging, first-time buyers, help and support
    Renting Help renting a home and dealing with problems
    Homes All Homes guidance
    Tools

    Calculator

    Stamp Duty calculator

    Calculator

    Mortgage affordability calculator

    Calculator

    Mortgage repayment calculator

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions

  • Help with the cost of living Budgeting, paying bills, finding extra financial support, coping with job loss
    Dealing with debt Bills, court fines, help with debts
    Money problems and complaints What to do about mis-selling, compensation and complaints
    Scams Spotting scams and what to do if you’re caught out
    Money troubles All Money troubles guidance
    Tools

    Tool

    Debt advice locator

    Calculator

    Benefits calculator

    Tool

    Bill prioritiser

    Tool

    What to do when you’ve been refused credit

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions

  • Building your retirement pot How much do you need, ways to build your pot, transferring and merging
    Pensions explained Starting a pension, types of pension, understanding pensions
    Pension problems Complaints, financial help when retired, changes to schemes
    State Pension How it works, what you might get, National Insurance
    Taking your pension Ways to draw your pension, when can you retire, Pension Wise appointments
    Tax and pensions Tax allowances, tax paid on pensions, tax relief
    Pensions and retirement All guidance, including how to use the Pension Wise service
    Tools

    Appointment

    Book a Pension Wise appointment

    Calculator

    Pension calculator

    Tool

    Money Midlife MOT

    Tool

    Find a retirement adviser

    ALL TOOLS

    Book your free Pension Wise appointment

    Over 50? Get free, impartial guidance from our government-backed service. We’ll explain your options for taking money from your pension pots.

  • How to save Getting started, getting the most out of savings, problems
    Investing How to invest, types of investing, buying and managing
    Types of savings Help with meeting goals, tax-friendly saving, saving for children
    Savings All Savings guidance
    Tools

    Calculator

    Savings calculator

    Tool

    Budget Planner

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions

  • Employment Basics, benefits, tax and National Insurance
    Losing your job What to do, alternatives, redundancy pay
    Self-employment Starting out, insurance, tax, self-assessment
    Work All Work guidance
    Tools

    Tool

    Budget Planner

    Calculator

    Redundancy pay calculator

    ALL TOOLS

    Pensions issues? Join our community group

    Join our private Facebook group ‘Your pension and planning for the future – by MoneyHelper’ to get help and to chat about pensions

Home
Cymraeg
  1. Home
  2. Money troubles
  3. Scams
Money troubles Scams

Types of scam

Scams can come in many different guises. So it’s important to know the warning signs to look out for and what to do if you have, or think, you’ve been targeted.

What’s in this guide

  • Phishing
  • Vishing
  • Identity theft and scams
  • Investment scams
  • Cryptocurrency scams
  • Job scams
  • Pension scams
  • Romance fraud
  • Ofgem scams
  • Authorised push payment (APP) fraud
  • Safe account scams
  • Loan fee fraud
  • Pharming
  • Smishing
  • Computer software fraud
  • Door-to-door scams
  • Ticket scams
  • Other potential scams

Phishing

Report a scam

If you’ve been targeted or been the victim of a scam, you can report it on the Action Fraud websiteOpens in a new window or get help from Victim SupportOpens in a new window

This is an email scam where you appear to get a message from a legitimate source, such as your bank, HMRC, PayPal, Apple or Amazon.

The message will encourage you to click a link and log into your account, normally by telling you your account has been locked or there’s a large transfer of money.

In reality, the link in the email goes to a fake website which collects your information.

Another version of this scam involves an email attachment – perhaps a coupon or form you need to fill in – which is in fact a computer virus.

Are you being scammed?

Have you been contacted by someone claiming to be from the Money and Pensions Service or MoneyHelper, offering unexpected services or asking for a fee? If so, it's a scam. We’ll never contact you out of the blue or charge anyone for our services.

 

If you’re concerned, call our Financial Crimes and Scams Unit on 0800 015 4402 or report them to the FCAOpens in a new window Learn more about spotting scams.

How to spot it

There are two main ways to spot a phishing scam:

  1. Look at how you’re addressed in the email. Scammers will use a general greeting such as Dear Sir, Dear Madam or Dear Customer. Legitimate emails will use your name.
  2. The email address the message has been sent from. Open the email and expand the pane at the top of the message and look at the email it was sent from. If it’s a real message, it will come from a recognisable address – such as ‘noreply @ bank.com’. Scammers won’t be able to send messages from a real domain name. So the email addresses will be filled in with random letters or numbers, such as ‘noreply @ 1234.bank.com’, or have deliberate spelling mistakes.
Find out more about phishing at Action Fraud

What to do

Never click the links or attachments in a suspicious email. If you think there might be a legitimate problem with an account, go to the website directly and log in. This way, you’ll never be caught out by a fake website.

Some organisations, such as HMRC, have an email address you can forward these emails on to, which helps them combat scams.

Back to top

Vishing

Help with scams

If you want help with your immediate needs and help to see if you may be able to get your money back, call our financial crimes and scams unit on 0800 015 4402.

Vishing is when scammers call and pretend to be from your bank, building society or even a government agency.

During the phone call, the fraudsters will attempt to get you to reveal your personal details, or even to transfer money out of your bank account.

Scammers may use the method of ‘number spoofing’ while doing this. Number spoofing usually involves the scammer changing their caller ID when making a phone call.

How to spot it

It’s very difficult to spot. The big tip-off is that the caller will be desperately trying to get you to reveal your information, which no legitimate caller would ask you to do.

What to do

If you’re sure the call is fraudulent, just hang up the phone.

If you’re not sure, hang up the phone and call your bank/building society on the number on your debit or credit card.

This means you can be sure you’re going to the right people. And if there is a problem, they can tell you about it.

But be careful. Scammers can hijack your phone line. So when you hang up, wait a few minutes before calling your bank or building society or use a different phone.

Back to top

Identity theft and scams

Identity theft is when your personal details are stolen and used for crime activity. Identity fraud can happen when those details are stolen then used to commit fraud.

If you’ve had your identity stolen, find out how to report the crime, what your bank can do to get your money back and how to get support if you’ve been left in financial difficulty.

If you’re worried about identity fraud and need to consider actions, such as a protective registration, CIFASOpens in a new window can help you.

You can also look into getting a freeze on your credit reportOpens in a new window  You’ll need to do this with Experian, Equifax and TransUnion separately.

Back to top

Investment scams

These are often social media-based scams from celebrity endorsements or hacked accounts from people you know, although you might be targeted in other ways, such as email, via phone or people coming to your house.

Although investment scams vary, the principle remains the same. You’re encouraged to hand over money to invest in a company or product that doesn’t exist. There is usually no existing investment, along with the scammer stealing your money.

How to spot it

It can be quite difficult. Many of the companies the scammers are calling from or trying to get you to invest in can look legitimate – with websites, social media profiles and fake testimonials.

See if the investment company or adviser investor is regulated by checking the register on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) websiteOpens in a new window Check whether the company is on the FCA’s warning listOpens in a new window or you can contact them directly on 0800 111 6768.

If you have doubts you can check to see if the company existsOpens in a new window by searching for it on the Companies House website.

No legitimate company will contact you out of the blue about an investment opportunity. Treat any unexpected contact like this with caution.

A big warning sign should be if you’re told an investment offers a high rate of return with little risk. Cryptocurrency investments are often used as money is difficult to trace.

Is it a scam?

To help you check if an investment or pension opportunity is a scam, use the tool on the FCA’s ScamSmart website

There’s also lots more information about avoiding the latest scams.

What to do

Report scams to the FCAOpens in a new window or Police ScotlandOpens in a new window, even if you have not lost money.

Or, if you’ve had money stolen through suspected investment fraud first contact your bank and then report it online to Action FraudOpens in a new window or call them on 0300 123 2040.

Find out more about recognising and avoiding investment scams in our guide How to spot an investment scam
Back to top

Cryptocurrency scams

Another growing way of people being scammed is via cryptocurrencies.

Cryptocurrency is digital money. It doesn’t exist in physical form – so there are no coins or notes. Cryptocurrencies are all transferred, stored or traded electronically.

See our blog on how to spot cryptocurrency and Bitcoin scams.

Back to top

Job scams

There are a variety of job scams. These range from dodgy remote working schemes, promises of a new career, where you’re asked to pay upfront for training or materials, to being offered non-existent jobs abroad, where you’re asked to pay a fee to organise visas and accommodation.

A more recent type of job scam is the ‘work from home’ and flexible working employment scams.  You may be told that you’ll make easy money – and you might be asked to pay a fee upfront.

Scammers behind these fraudulent schemes will ask for personal details such as your passport and driving license details. The scammers will also create a WhatsApp-based fake peer group chat to ‘prove legitimacy’ as well.

To further prove this fake legitimacy, ‘wages’ are usually paid for the first transaction. However, after that you are asked to pay increasing amounts to be able to access the next level of ‘earnings’. The scammers then take the money, and you are blocked on WhatsApp and are usually unable to contact them after that.

No employer will ask you to pay them. Ignore any scammers who contact you with suspicious sounding job offers.

To find out more about employment fraud, visit Action FraudOpens in a new window

However, the ‘leads’ or products turn out to be worthless and – worse still – your registration details might be sold on to other scammers.

Find out more about job scams at Action FraudOpens in a new window
Back to top

Pension scams

Since the pension freedoms were introduced in 2015, retirees are able to access large sums of money from pension pots.

An unfortunate side-effect has been that this group is now being targeted by scammers because they can potentially access large amounts of cash.

Pension scams will usually follow a similar path to investment scams.

How to spot it

Unsolicited phone calls, or any unrequested contact via social media or email, should be treated as suspicious. Anything involving high returns with low risk should ring alarm bells. From 2019, the Government banned cold calls by telephone about pensions, but scammers are using social media and email to get around this.

If you want to be sure a company is legitimate, check the FCA registerOpens in a new window , the FCA warning listOpens in a new window and the Companies House website

What to do

Report scams to the FCAOpens in a new window, Action FraudOpens in a new window or Police ScotlandOpens in a new window, even if you have not lost money.

Or, if you've had money stolen through suspected investment fraud, report it to Action Fraud onlineOpens in a new window or call them on 0300 123 2040.

Find out more about recognising and avoiding pension scams in our guide How to spot pension scams
Back to top

Romance fraud

Some fraudsters will connect with you on a dating website using a fake profile. They’ll be up-front about living overseas and will email you, getting to know you over time and becoming affectionate and romantic.

When you’ve become involved, they’ll start asking for money for a sick relative or for a plane ticket to come and visit. They’ll take your money but never appear.

Find out more about dating scamsOpens in a new window at Action Fraud
Back to top

Ofgem scams

Some scammers are now pretending to be Ofgem, offering to save you money or help you switch to another energy provider.

Find out about what to do if you’re worried about your energy bills.

They may do this by contacting you via text message, email or another way, asking for personal details such as your bank details. These are scams, as Ofgem would never contact you this way or ask for personal information.

Learn more here about Ofgem scams and how to report themOpens in a new window
Back to top

Authorised push payment (APP) fraud

Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud, commonly known as ‘bank transfer scams’, is when scammers trick you into sending money to them. They do this by posing as a legitimate business, often by intercepting or hacking your email account. It’s also the tactic used by scammers posing as your bank.

This scam often occurs when you’re in the process of buying a house, having building work done on your home or booking a holiday. The scammer intercepts a company’s email and sends you a message asking for payment. Because you’re expecting to have to pay a bill, it can be difficult to spot that this is a scam.

There’s a new common scam where you might get a text or WhatsApp from a new number, telling you that they’re a friend or relative that needs money. The messages can be worryingly convincing. If in doubt, call or message the person they’re pretending to be on their old number to double check.

You might think you are making a legitimate investment through your bank but the fraudsters are taking your money.  You might be encouraged to buy cryptocurrency, open up a new bank account with a digital bank which has no history of previous transactions. These are common warning signs.

How to spot it

Spotting push payment fraud can be very difficult as it can occur at a time when you’re expecting to be asked for payment or at a time when you feel under pressure, for example when a scammer is pretending to be your bank. Don’t assume all messages are genuine.

What to do

If you are paying by bank transfer, you need to be 100% confident that you know who the recipient is, as it can be hard to get the money back. Be warned, your bank or the police will never ask you to transfer money to a ‘safe’ account, so this is a clear warning sign that it is a scam.

Check the company you expect to be paying sent you the email, and that the bank details match.

If you do fall victim, new rules introduced by the FCA mean you can now make a complaint to your bank and the bank receiving the payment.

New rules that came in on 7 October 2024 now require banks and payment providers to reimburse you if you sent money by UK bank transfer and are a victim of APP fraud. They must send your refund within five working days after you make a claim. The new rules include an “optional £100 excess” that your bank or payment provider can deduct from your claim.

You’re covered if you use:

  • Faster Payments: this is what you will typically use to send free, quick bank transfers instantly to another person or business.
  • CHAPs: this is usually used for high value transfers, guaranteed to arrive the same day. For these transactions you’re covered by an equivalent rule set out by the Bank of England.

Before 7 October there was a voluntary code for banks and payment providers. This meant that there was no mandatory requirement for banks to refund victims of APP fraud.

  • Any payments made on or after 7 October 2024 are covered, but if you made a payment before this date and think it could be a scam, your claim would fall under the previous voluntary code of practice.
  • The maximum amount you can claim is £85,000. If you lose more than this, you can raise a claim with the Financial Ombudsman Service. You can find out how the Financial Ombudsman Service can help you in our guide.
  • Claims are subject to a 13-month time limit after the last payment was made to a scammer, so it’s important to notify your bank or payment provider as soon as possible.
Find out more about how to get a refund for bank transfer scams in our blog
Back to top

Safe account scams

You’ll be contacted, usually on the phone by someone claiming to be from your bank’s fraud department, the police or a regulatory body such as the FCA. They’ll say your account has been compromised in some way and encourage you to transfer all your money from your bank to a ‘safe account’ they control.

Never give out your bank account, PIN numbers or credit card details unless you are certain who you are dealing with.

Emergency hotline 159

Dial 159Opens in a new window and you will be connected to your bank’s fraud department.

This is a quick and easy way to make sure a call is genuine and avoid being scammed. Find out more about this service and which banks are involved at StopScamsUKOpens in a new window

How to spot it

It can be very difficult as the scammers play on your fears about people illegally accessing your money.

But the easiest thing to remember is banks will never ask you to transfer money into a ‘safe account'.

If your account has been hacked, your bank will be able to stop money coming out of it very quickly and there would be no point in transferring your money to a different bank account.

What to do

If you’ve been contacted on the phone, just hang up. And if you’re worried about your account security, call your bank directly.

If you’re a victim of this kind of fraud, contact your bank.

Back to top

Loan fee fraud

If you’re searching for loans online, you might be contacted by fraudsters offering you a loan directly.

You’ll be asked to pay an upfront fee to receive the loan, but the money will never be sent to you.

How to spot it

You should never be asked to pay a fee in advance for a loan.

Scammers might also ask you to pay the fee in unusual ways, such as by iTunes vouchers or a money transfer service.

What to do

Make sure you’re using a legitimate loan provider by checkingOpens in a new window the FCA website.

Back to top

Pharming

This is similar to phishing, but instead of sending you an email directly, the scammers target the website you’re visiting.

You type in the correct website address, but you then get directed to a fake version, where you inadvertently put in your login details and secure information.

How to spot it

You need to be very observant. As you’ve entered the correct web address, you would naturally assume you’ve gone to the real website.

Scammers have also designed these fake websites to look just like the real thing.

Look at the website address. It won’t show up as you’re expecting, but as a selection of numbers. Or perhaps something similar to the real name, but with letters switched around or a different spelling.

What to do

Be observant when you’re logging into or visiting websites and look out for suspicious website addresses.

It’s also important to keep your operating system and anti-virus software up to date.

Find out more about pharming at Norton Security
Back to top

Smishing

These are text message-based scams.

Scammers will contact you claiming to be from your bank, saying you need to update your personal details or that there’s an issue.

The text might contain a link, like a phishing scam or a phone number to call. The phone number is fake and when you call the fraudsters will attempt to get you to reveal your details.

How to spot it

It’s difficult to spot, so if you get a message like this – be suspicious.

One giveaway might be the phone number in the text is not the same as the one on your credit or debit card.

If scammers spoof the number, it might appear very legitimate, even dropping into an existing text message chain.

What to do

If in doubt, call the number on your card and find out if they have tried to contact you.

Don’t click any links in text messages. Always go directly to the website and log in as normal.

Back to top

Computer software fraud

This is where scammers pretending to be from Apple or Microsoft contact you by phone or email. They say they need your payment details to fix, update or validate your software.

How to spot it

It’s very unlikely computer companies would make a phone call about these kind of issues if you haven’t asked for one.

It’s best to treat the calls with the same suspicion as you would treat any other unexpected call or email.

What to do

If in doubt, contact your computer or software supplier and never give out your payment details.

Find out more about computer software services fraud at Action Fraud
Back to top

Door-to-door scams

These can take many forms, but instead of relying on the anonymity of online communications, they simply knock on your door.

While they can be investment and pension scammers, they can also try and scam you in a more practical way – like selling you a product or service.

A common example is a person claiming to be a builder who happened to notice some damage to your roof when they were passing. Fake charity collectors and salespeople are other examples.

A scammer might even claim to be from government agencies, including the Money and Pensions Service or MoneyHelper.

The Money and Pensions Service has never, and will never, turn up to your home or contact you out of the blue via phone, WhatsApp, email or text.

If there are people claiming to be us who call at your home, call 101 to report the scammers, or 999 if you feel unsafe.

How to spot it

Always be suspicious of anyone arriving unannounced at your door. In the age of digital communications, it’s unlikely any legitimate company will attempt to do business this way.

It’s also important not to be fooled just because someone has identification. It’s very easy to make a fake ID and it’s no guarantee of legitimacy.

What to do

Don’t engage with anyone who knocks on your door unannounced.

And report anyone you suspect of trying to scam you or your neighbours to the police.

Find out more about door-to-door sales scams at Action Fraud
Back to top

Ticket scams

This is when you buy tickets for a concert or sporting event, for example – but the person, or website, you’re buying from either doesn’t send the tickets, or sends you fakes.

This is most common on ticket reselling or exchange sites, which makes getting a refund very difficult.

To combat touts, many events issue tickets that can only be used by the person who bought them, so tickets on reselling sites won’t work.

How to spot it

Spotting this scam can be difficult as you might not realise you’ve been scammed until the day of the event.

One way you might be able to spot it is by looking at the website.

If it’s one you’ve never heard of, doesn’t have proper contact details, or only lists a mobile phone number or PO box – avoid it.

What to do

Avoid buying tickets from social media or online auction sites where it might be difficult to trace the seller and get a refund.

Check the website you’re buying from is a memberOpens in a new window of the Society of Ticket Agents & Retailers (STAR).

When paying, make sure the website address starts ‘https’, not just ‘http’, as this means the site is secure.

Pay by credit card (if it's more than £100), debit card or PayPal, rather than bank transfer, as you have more protection if something goes wrong.

Find out more about ticket fraud at Action Fraud
Back to top

Other potential scams

There are plenty of other ways scammers might try to part you from your money.

They might steal information from your social media accounts, through public wi-fi connections, or through various types of insurance fraud.

Here are some common scams that are harder to spot and prevent.

Advance-fee fraud

This is another kind of email and social media scam, and probably the most well-known. You get a message telling you that you're in line for a big pay out. Sometimes these messages come out of the blue, or sometimes it could be someone who’s trying to build a relationship with you. Typically, they’ll tell you that a wealthy person is in trouble, and you’ll be rewarded for your help.

Fraudsters will try to convince you that you can pay an advance fee for a loan, goods, services or financial gains which you’ll never receive.

You’ll be asked for your bank details. But, of course, there’s no money and the scammers will use the details you send to access your bank account and possibly clear it out.

Similar schemes exist with wills and claiming an inheritance from a long-lost relative.

How to spot it

As with many of the scams we’ve mentioned so far – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Again, it’s worth checking the email – as the name the message is from and the email won’t match. Bad spelling and grammar can also be a giveaway.

What to do

Ignore the email and never send payment details or personal information or pay a fee for a loan or other payment which you weren’t expecting.

Find out more about Advance-fee fraud at Action Fraud

Multi-level-marketing schemes (MLMs)

While not every MLM is a scam, if you join an MLM you’re still likely to lose more money than you put in.

Typically, an MLM will be a large organisation made up of hundreds of individuals selling merchandise and services. For example, beauty products, candles, cleaning products and books – from home or via ‘parties’.

MLMs have a similar structure to pyramid schemes. And in many MLMs, it’s much more lucrative to recruit others than it is to earn commission from sales.

Find out more about MLMs in our blog Is a multi-level-marketing scheme (MLM) a good way to make money?

Crash for cash

Simply put, this is when someone has a deliberate crash so they can claim on the insurance. In reality, it’s a lot more complicated.

Groups, usually criminal gangs, will target people who they think will have good car insurance, or who are less likely to put up a fuss – for example, mothers with children.

The scammers’ car will be in front of you and suddenly slam on its brakes, or unexpectedly pull out of a junction – causing you to crash into them.

They will insist the crash was your fault, but be willing to hand over their insurance information.

A few weeks later your insurance company will tell you the details of the other driver’s claim. This will exaggerate the costs, such as for car hire or whiplash injuries.

Find out more about crash-for-cash and how to avoid it on the AA website

Health scams

If you see an email or an advert for a ‘miracle cure’ for baldness, cancer, impotence, acne or weight loss – steer clear.

You could be offered something that appears to be a legitimate alternative medicine but doesn’t actually work.

Or you might think you’re getting drugs and medicines very cheaply or without a prescription, but they might not be the real thing – if they even turn up at all.

In some cases, these fake medicines can actually damage your health.

Find out more about health scams at Action Fraud

Money mules

Here you could unknowingly end up breaking the law and helping criminals. This is when you use your bank account to take delivery of, and then forward, stolen money – and be paid a commission for helping.

Falling for this scam would mean you’re breaking the law by money laundering.

Find out more about money mules at Action Fraud

Online auction scams

Con artists can pose as either fake buyers or fake sellers. If they buy from you, they appear to pay for the goods. But as soon as you’ve sent it to them, the payment is withdrawn.

Fake sellers get you to buy non-existent products and simply disappear with your money.

If you can, use tracked postage to send the item, and keep hold of your receipt. Don’t agree to let the buyer arrange for their own courier to come and pick up the item.

For more information on other potential scams, see the  A-Z of fraud at Action Fraud
Back to top
Thank you for your feedback.
We’re always trying to improve our website and services, and your feedback helps us understand how we’re doing.
Share this article
Email Facebook Twitter
Share this with
WhatsApp LinkedIn
Copy this link
Send email
Copy this link
Scams

Help with scams

  • How to spot an investment scam
  • Types of scam
  • How to spot a pension scam
  • Am I being scammed? How to tell if you’ve been targeted
Looking for us? Now, we’re MoneyHelper

MoneyHelper is the new, easy way to get clear, free, impartial help for all your money and pension choices. Whatever your circumstances or plans, move forward with MoneyHelper.

Continue to website
Looking for us? Now, we’re MoneyHelper

MoneyHelper is the new, easy way to get clear, free, impartial help for all your money and pension choices. Whatever your circumstances or plans, move forward with MoneyHelper.

Continue to website
Looking for us? Now, we’re MoneyHelper

MoneyHelper is the new, easy way to get clear, free, impartial help for all your money and pension choices. Whatever your circumstances or plans, move forward with MoneyHelper.

Continue to website

Help with scams

  • How to spot an investment scam
  • Types of scam
  • How to spot a pension scam
  • Am I being scammed? How to tell if you’ve been targeted
H.M. Government logo

From:

Money and Pensions Service logo
Level AA conformance, W3C WAI Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Clear English Standard for Websites logo
  • About us
  • Getting help and advice
  • Contact us
  • Partners
  • Tools and calculators
  • Give feedback
  • Welsh language scheme
  • Blog

Follow us:

© 2025 Money and Pensions Service, Bedford Borough Hall, 138 Cauldwell Street, Bedford, MK42 9AB. All rights reserved.

  • Terms & conditions
  • Privacy notice
  • Accessibility statement
  • Sitemap
  • Cookies
  • Cookie preferences Cookie preferences
Talk to us live for…
Close
Talk to us live for…
Close
Talk to us live for pensions guidance
For the quickest reply, use our webchat or telephone helpline. We’re open between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Previous Close
Talk to us live for money guidance using…
Previous Close
Talk to us live for pensions guidance using the telephone
  • From overseas: +44 20 7932 5780
  • For self-employed: 0345 602 7021
Hours
  • Mon – Fri:9.00am to 5.00pm
  • Sat, Sun and bank holidays:Closed

Calls from the UK are free. We’re committed to providing you with a quality service, so calls may be recorded or monitored for training purposes and to help us develop our services.

Previous Close
Talk to us live for money guidance using the telephone
  • Welsh: 0800 138 0555
  • Typetalk: 18001 0800 915 4622
  • From overseas: +44 20 3553 2279
Hours
  • Mon – Fri:8.00am to 6.00pm
  • Sat, Sun and bank holidays:Closed

Calls from the UK are free. We’re committed to providing you with a quality service, so calls may be recorded or monitored for training purposes and to help us develop our services.

Previous Close
If you’ve got a serious medical condition or disability and need travel insurance.
Use our travel insurance directory to get a list of specialist providers you can contact directly, as we can't give you quotes.

Need further help? If you’ve used the directory or you need further help to find an insurer, the British Insurance Brokers’ Association can link you with a broker. Call: 0370 950 1790

Previous Close
Call us for help dealing with debt.
If you’ve missed payments and are struggling with debt, call us and press 1 to speak to one of our debt advice partners. Hours
  • Mon - Fri: 9.00am - 5.00pm
  • Sat Sun and bank holidays: Closed

Calls from the UK are free. We’re committed to providing you with a quality service, so calls may be recorded or monitored for training purposes and to help us develop our services.

Previous Close
Call us if you’re worried about fraud or scams and need expert guidance.
Our specialists are here to support you over the phone. Hours
  • Mon - Fri 9.00am - 5.00pm
  • Sat-Sun and Bank Holidays Closed

Calls from the UK are free. We’re committed to providing you with a quality service, so calls may be recorded or monitored for training purposes and to help us develop our services.

Previous Close
Talk to us live for pensions guidance using webchat
Hours
  • Mon – Fri:9.00am to 5.00pm
  • Sat, Sun and bank holidays:Closed
Previous Close
Talk to us live for money guidance using webchat
Hours
  • Mon – Fri:8.00am to 6.00pm
  • Sat, Sun and bank holidays:Closed
Previous Close
Talk to us for pensions guidance using our web form

We’ll respond as soon as we can, but this can take over five working days. For a quicker reply, use our webchat between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Previous Close
Talk to us for money guidance using our web form

We aim to respond within 2 working days

Previous Close
Talk to us live for money guidance using WhatsApp

Download app: WhatsApp

For help sorting out your debt or credit questions. For everything else please contact us via Webchat or telephone.

Previous Close