© Christopher CoxQuick thinking: An attempted scam was foiled by Steve and Christine Baker
Police crackdowns have led to an 11 per cent fall in fraud in 2013 compared with the year before, according to the fraud prevention service Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System. But there are still 600 frauds committed every day, half involving stolen identity.
As one scam is tackled, heartless criminals quickly come up with nasty new ways to part you from your cash.
Here are the top tricks to watch out for and what you can do to avoid being a victim:
PARCEL DELIVERY
Hundreds of thousands of crimes involve the use of a victim's identity to obtain a product or service.
A flourishing form of identity fraud is the parcel delivery scam - where crooks use your details to order goods, claim they have been delivered in error and come to collect.
Steve and Christine Baker of Theydon Bois, Essex, nearly fell victim last year, but their quick thinking scared off the fraudsters.
Steve, 67, signed for a parcel addressed to Christen Media, the events management company he runs with wife Christine, 64.
Inside were four new iPhone 5s from mobile network EE. Later that afternoon Steve received a call on his mobile phone from a man claiming to be from T-Mobile. He said the package had been delivered by mistake and he would arrange for a courier to collect it that day.
Steve says: 'Alarm bells started ringing. We told him we thought it was a scam, which we would report to the police.
'He blustered, saying that we would be liable as we had signed for the package. But we never heard from him again.'
The couple reported the incident to the mobile network and the police. But frustratingly, they still received a bill from EE for £680. A period of confusion ensued, with another two bills arriving. Several months later the Bakers still have the mobile phones and are unhappy about how they were dealt by EE.
Steve says: 'I never received any kind of explanation from them on how the scam was done and what it may have done to my credit rating, or any kind of recognition on the huge amount of time I wasted trying to play the good guy in all of this.'
The Mail on Sunday contacted EE about the Bakers' case. A spokeswoman said the couple's credit rating would not be affected but that for security reasons the company could not discuss fraud procedures.
She added: 'Once notified, we immediately marked the account as fraudulent, however an administrative error meant our response was slower than usual. We apologise to Mr Baker for any inconvenience.'
Richard Hurley, spokesman for CIFAS, says: 'The Bakers played it correctly. If you receive items you are not expecting, or start receiving unsolicited mail from financial providers or demands for money, this should ring alarm bells.'
What should I do?
Contact the organisation that sends the information or goods and explain that you did not make the order.
You also need to report it to your bank, building society or credit card provider. Keep correspondence and a note of dates, times and names from any phone calls.
© AlamyKeep ahead of the cheats: Shred anything that show your personal details rather than throwing them in the bin
In this scam the victim receives a call at home from someone claiming to be from their bank who explains there is a problem with the account.
To add an air of authenticity, they recommend the person hangs up and calls the number on the back of their debit or credit card. But the victim may not realise that the villain of this scam is still on the other end of the phone line.
An accomplice pretends to answer the call - which was never disconnected - and poses as another bank employee, leading the victim through a series of seemingly genuine security questions. Having earned the victim's trust, they will advise them to input their Personal Identification Number into the phone or hand over the numbers with the card to a courier.
The courier collects the cards, with the PIN, and can then easily access the victim's account.
What should I do?
Your bank or the police will never phone, email or visit you to ask for your card PIN or pick up your card. Never hand your card over to anyone who comes to collect it.
BOILER-ROOM FRAUD
Criminals cold-call investors and use high-pressure tactics (hence the term boiler room) to sell overpriced shares, often in non-existent projects, promising fanciful returns.
Last week, the Financial Conduct Authority reissued a warning about Alliance Capital Securities, which has been targeting Britons.
What should I do?
Never believe the hype. Ask yourself why they would need to cold-call to sell this amazing deal.
You can check whether a firm is genuine and does what it claims to do using the financial services register at fca.org.uk or call their helpline on 0800 111 6768.
PENSION LIBERATION
So-called experts offer to convert your pension into cash before the age of 55.
But victims are not warned about the tax implications and high fees that will empty most of their pension pot.
What should I do?
Just say no. There is more information about this type of fraud at pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk. If you need help planning your finances, find an independent financial adviser through the website unbiased.co.uk.
FRAUD RECOVERY
Scammers will often target fraud victims for a second go, claiming they can recover the money lost in the first incident - for a fee. They may use the name of a legitimate company.
What should I do?
No legitimate authority or business will demand a fee for returning money to a victim of fraud. Rely on help only from genuine law enforcement agencies and never hand over money or personal information to someone who claims to be able to help.
Reader Comments
to our Newsletter