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Today is the April Fools’ Day and we wish you all to have great fun with your loved ones. Also, we advise you to stay safe and always be vigilant, offline and online, and not be fooled by any scams. Because particularly now, during the coronavirus outbreak, scammers have found a great opportunity to try their sophisticated tactics and steal personal or financial details and even money from some people. Unfortunately, they are not joking about this. 

 

It is said that hell is paved with good intentions: from charity donations to financial help with your taxes, there are a few common methods that online and offline fraudsters use these months. But you can be even smarter than the coronavirus scammers: here you can find some simple solutions on how to react and stop them taking advantage from you, your family and friends. 

 

One of the most common examples of text scams says that it offers payment related to the coronavirus, if you click on the link in the text. The message claims to be sent by the UK Government. However, if you look at the URL, you will see that the link does not go to the UK Government website. This is a fake website which requires you to enter your personal details. 

 

Other text scammers that you should avoid may pretend to be:

Scam texts often include links or attachments which you should not trust. 

 

 

Some scammers might call you, claiming to be officials from the Government, HMRC, your GP’s surgery, the NHS, or the World Health Organisation (WHO).

These fraudsters pretend to offer you some help during the coronavirus outbreak, such as:

Usually, these calls want you to either speak to an operator, or press a button on your phone for more information. 

 

Some scammers may claim to be a representative of your bank, building society, or tax official. This type of fraudsters usually say they want to prevent you from losing money because of the coronavirus economic impact and ask you to move your funds into a safer account. 

 

Other scammers have a different scenario: they pretend to offer you financial help during coronavirus and ask for your financial details. 

Obviously, both categories of scammers just want to steal your money, as no legal institution would ask you to transfer your money into a different account or for any sensitive information, such as passwords or PIN numbers. 

 

 

4. Scammers knocking at your door: ask them for an ID 

Some scammers are even braver: they come straight to your door, pretending to be a government representative or charity worker asking for donation. You can always ask for an identification document or even ring the official number to confirm their employment.

 

 

Especially these days, many products such as hand sanitisers, face masks or medicines are frequently out of stock. Some scammers take profit from this, selling counterfeit or totally different products that may be dangerous for your health. Some other online fraudsters may ask you to pay directly into their account, without delivering any goods. 

There is also the risk that your identity details could be compromised after this. Fraudsters could steal your identity and use it to access your personal finances or obtain goods or finances from alternative sources.

 

As a general rule, for any suspicious text, call, email or other communication that you think might be a scam: you can report it to Action Fraud here, including the phone number, email address or the channel that was used to contact you. You can also use the Financial Services Register and Warning List to check who you are dealing with.

 

Need help & advice? We’ve been listening to people just like you since 2003. Contact us today, in your language. Opal Transfer has been offering 300,000+ people the safe, quick and easy money services they need. We can provide you with the best advice for secure online transfers and an easier life in the UK.