Latest news with #TakeFivetoStopFraud
The Irish Sun
21 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Easy 30-second trick could stop you being conned out of £1,000s – but you'll need to call your family today
A DEVASTATING scam that can cost you thousands of pounds in seconds can easily be blocked – it just takes 30 seconds. The only catch is that you'll want to get ready for it in advance. Advertisement 3 The cruel scam can look something like this when delivered over text Credit: Facebook One of the most common text-based scams out there right now is called It's also known as A crook will pose as your child and convince you to send cash in an emergency – but it's a total con. Thankfully, there's a very easy way to scupper it and keep your cash safe. Advertisement Read more on scams WHAT IS THE SCAM? City of London Police 's Action Fraud issued a major warning about the scam back in 2022, revealing that it had already cost users £1.5 million. "Criminals will typically claim to be a family member and will usually begin the conversation with 'Hello Mum' or 'Hello Dad'," Action Fraud explained. "They will say that they are texting from a new mobile number as their phone was lost or damaged and will go on to ask for money to purchase a new phone, or claim that they need money urgently to pay a bill. "The criminal will supply their bank details for payment, with some coming back on multiple occasions until the victim realises they've been scammed." Advertisement Most read in Tech Since then, the scam has only grown in popularity. In 2023, McAfee issued an alert warning of a "new threat" were crooks were using AI to carry out more convincing versions of the scam. Deepfakes more 'sophisticated' and dangerous than ever as AI expert warns of six upgrades that let them trick your eyes This even involved using AI voice-cloning tech to make the con work over phone calls. "With inexpensive and easy-to-use AI voice-cloning tools, fraudsters are delivering bespoke messages through calls or voicemails and fraudulently asking for help in the form of financial assistance," McAfee warned. Advertisement "In the past, those wishing to create these assets needed to have both the time and technical ability to replicate voices. "But applications and tools that produce near instantaneous, highly believable results are now just a few clicks away." 3 Crooks can deliver the con over almost any social media or chat app Credit: Getty The scam can turn up on chat apps like WhatsApp or iMessage, via email, or even over the phone using an AI-cloned voice. Advertisement And it can be highly convincing: Brits have already lost millions to the con, with thousands sometimes being taken in a single attack. 'If you receive a message like this from a friend or family member, don't send any money until you've had a chance to call them and confirm their identity," said Detective Chief Inspector Craig Mullish. "Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe." ACTION FRAUD – THE OFFICIAL ADVICE Action Fraud advises that the public follow the advice of the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign to keep themselves safe from fraud. Stop: Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe. Challenge: Could it be fake? It's okay to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you. Protect: If you think you've been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online at How to report You can report suspicious text messages you have received but not acted upon, by forwarding the original message to 7726, which spells SPAM on your keypad. You can report suspicious emails you have received but not acted upon, by forwarding the original message to If you have provided personal or financial details as a result of a suspicious message, or lost money because of a scam, you should report it to Action Fraud at HOW TO STAY SAFE – THE QUICK TRICK Of course, if a crook is using voice cloning or has taken over the family member's phone, checking with them through another method might not work. Advertisement So that's where the clever trick comes in. You'll want to call your son or daughter (or mum or dad) today and set up a safe word or phrase. It can be anything really – like a fruit, a place, or a date – but not something obvious like your birthday or hometown. 3 You might think you're talking to a family member – but it's actually a brazen crook Credit: Getty Advertisement Then whenever one of you ask's the other for money, you'll demand the safe word to verify the identity. Scammers will have no one of knowing this, as long as you haven't written it down somewhere on your devices. And it's an instant way to prevent the scam from going any further. It only takes half a minute to set up, and could save you from being conned out of thousands of pounds. Advertisement So give your family members a call today and make sure you have safe words set up.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Spouses and mothers ‘safest pairs of hands to protect finances'
About two in five (43%) people say they trust their spouse or partner the most to be a 'safe pair of hands' when protecting their finances, while a quarter say their mother is safest and 23% put most trust in their father, a survey has found. The research, released by the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign, found that among those who take steps to protect themselves from fraud, about half (51%) regularly monitor their bank accounts. Only one in 11 (9%) speak to those they trust to sense-check requests, just 27% challenge requests and only 39% take time to stop and think. Take Five said more than £3 million was lost each day on average to financial fraud in the first half of last year. It said fighting fraud is like a 'team sport' and everyone can learn to spot the warning signs of scams and block them before they cause harm. Catriona Still, spokesperson for Take Five to Stop Fraud, said: 'Fraudsters are constantly evolving their tactics, just like tough opponents on the pitch. 'They'll often try to rush or pressure you, targeting your money or personal information. 'That's why Take Five is uniting football tactics with fraud prevention – to help people slow down the game, challenge their opponents and be their own safe pair of hands to stop scammers in their tracks.' Take Five to Stop Fraud is run by banking and finance industry body UK Finance. The research was published as Take Five Week (May 12 to 18) gets under way. Take Five is urging people to follow its 'stop, challenge, protect' advice: 1. Stop. Take a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information. It could keep you safe. 2. Challenge. Could it be fake? It is OK to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you. 3. Protect. Contact your bank immediately if you think you have been scammed. Scams can be reported to Action Fraud. Take Five has also launched an interactive online game and encourages people to test their defences to see if they are 'match ready' to fight fraud at Its survey research among 2,000 people across the UK was carried out by Censuswide in April. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Independent
10-02-2025
- Business
- The Independent
People warned to ‘be alert' to threats of online fraud
People are inclined to believe a scam is more likely to start with a phone call than online, despite internet contact being the trigger for many frauds, a survey indicates. Take Five to Stop Fraud, which released the research ahead of Safer Internet Day (February 11), said the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by criminals can make online scams even more sophisticated and convincing. Nearly half (45%) of people surveyed believe they are most likely to be targeted by a fraudster over the phone. Fewer of those questioned identified the internet as the place where people are most likely to be targeted. The majority of authorised push payment (APP) fraud (where someone is tricked into transferring money to a fraudster) in the first half of 2024 started online, Take Five said, and, while a third (33%) of people are aware of fraud risks on social media, only 12% see online marketplaces or auction websites as the place where they are most likely to be targeted by fraudsters. This is despite scammers often using these websites for purchase scams, where paid-for items never arrive. The survey allowed people to choose up to three places where they thought scams were most likely to start. Purchase scams were the most common type of APP fraud in the first half of 2024. Despite differing perceptions about where scams are most likely to originate, more than two-thirds (68%) of those surveyed are concerned about being a victim of fraud online. The research also highlighted low awareness about what could make people most vulnerable to fraud. Only 13% of those questioned said looking for ways to make extra money could make people most vulnerable to fraud – a factor that could make them prime targets for investment scams and fake quick money-making opportunities. And 26% said responding to requests for personal information from individuals or companies online would make people most vulnerable to fraud, while just 29% said sharing personal information on social media could put people most at risk. Take Five to Stop Fraud spokesman Giles Mason said: 'Criminals are increasingly sophisticated and online platforms can be a hub for fraudsters looking for ways to steal your money. 'Whether that be through tricking you into sending them money directly or stealing your information to gain access to your accounts, it's important to be alert to the threats of fraud online. 'We encourage everyone to be cautious when sharing personal details online and to always think twice before clicking on links or replying to unexpected messages. 'If something feels off, stop and take a moment to check – it could protect you from fraud.' – Here are some tips from Take Five to protect yourself from online scams: 1. Use strong and unique passwords for your online accounts. 2. Turn on two-step verification to add an extra layer of security to your accounts. 3. Avoid clicking on links from social media, emails, texts or online adverts. 4. Keep your software and apps up to date, and use anti-virus software on your devices. 5. Check your online privacy settings and be mindful of what personal information you share on social media, online forums or dating apps. In general, the Take Five campaign, which is run by banking and finance industry body UK Finance, encourages people to stop and think before parting with their money or information. People should contact their bank immediately if they think they have been scammed and report it to the police. Many banks can be contacted by the phone number 159.
