Britons Targeted In Pandemic By Fake Delivery Scam Texts

Britons Targeted In Pandemic By Fake Delivery Scam Texts.

Nearly 60 per cent of people in the UK have so far been targeted by holiday scams, a recent survey has found.

Lloyds Bank, which released the research, said that with people searching the web to book their breaks this year, scammers could be just waiting to pounce on holidaymakers eager to find a last-minute deal.

Lloyds is now urging people to avoid sending money by bank transfer – a method often used by criminals to con people into handing over cash. More than half of people questioned by the bank said they had no idea how to spot a dodgy website.

Philip Robinson, retail fraud prevention director at Lloyds Bank, said: “Fraudsters are poised to jump on any potential way to trick people into handing over money.”

He revealed some of the fraudsters’ methods: “This could be advertising deals and accommodation on fake websites disguised as genuine companies or luring people in to buying non-existent items or package deals on social media.

“At the same time they are still profiting from a favourite scam tactic – sending texts about deliveries or so-called account activity with phishing links to gather information and then contacting people pretending to be from their bank or another organisation.”

He added that if someone insists on a bank transfer rather than a card payment or wants to avoid official payment mechanisms “this should be an immediate red flag”.

Here are Lloyds Bank’s tips to avoid holiday scams:

– If you pay by credit card, you may be able to make a claim for a refund under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act if something goes wrong with your purchase. People paying by debit card may be able to recoup their funds using chargeback.

– If a seller tries to push you into paying for something by bank transfer, that can be a big red flag that it is a scam.

– Do not click on any link in a text or email that you were not expecting. These can be “phishing” for your details and are often a scam.

– Fraudsters can easily fake websites and make documents appear real to trick you into making payments for goods or booking holidays or accommodation – never be rushed in and take time to speak to a friend or family.

The bank also has further fraud protection tips on its website: https://www.lloydsbank.com/help-guidance/protecting-yourself-from-fraud.html

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