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Most common fraud scams to watch out for
By Sophie Christie | Telegraph – 21 hours ago

Almost three quarters of Britons have experienced some type of fraud attempt, according to First Direct. Here are the top five most common scams to watch out for.

The survey conducted by First Direct also found that 55pc of those who had experienced fraud had been targeted online, yet this hadn't appeared to affect consumers as 80pc said they would still purchase online, with 70pc still banking online.

Over 55s were contacted by fraudsters most, while four in 10 of those aged 16 to 24 said they had never experienced a scam attempt.

Most common types of fraud
1. Fake emails: 53pc of frauds were conducted via fake emails claiming to be from a bank requesting personal information, like Pin numbers and account login details.
2. Advance-fee frauds: Advance-fee frauds make up 29pc of the most regular scams committed. Scammers send emails and letters to victims asking for a certain amount of money in order to secure a larger sum.
The Nigerian 419 scam is a common example of this the "419" refers to the Nigerian Criminal Code that deals with fraud.
3. Impostor phone calls: Impostor phone calls ( 23pc of the most common types of fraud) claiming to be from well-known organisations, such as broadband providers or software firms. An incident of this was reported recently when an elderly gentleman was conned out of £121 after being targeted by scammers posing as Microsoft.
4. Debit card fraud: Debit card fraud duplicating one or more of your bank cards, makes up 14pc of the most regularly seen types of fraud.
5. Fake lotteries: Fake lotteries also account for 14pc of the most common types of fraud. Victims receive emails notifying them of a large sum of money won in a lottery. Recipients of the scam are often told to contact a 'claims agent' to whom they will pay 'processing fees' or 'transfer charges' in order for the winnings to be paid.

What to do if you have become a victim of fraud

• Change the passwords to your computer, email and any financial accounts, especially bank and credit cards.

• Scan your computer to see if rogue software has been installed.

• Contact your bank and credit card companies if you think your details may be at risk. Ask them to freeze the account and issue a new card.

• If you have lost money to card fraud contact Action Fraud and get a crime reference number. This will help pursue a claim with your bank for lost funds. See actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.