Lloyds Bank issues warning as festive scam could target Britons
Royal Mail text scam: Woman recalls losing all of her money
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Parcel scams are sadly rife, and they can be particularly dangerous for those who come into contact with them. The bank shared the story of one woman who was targeted in this way, and ended up having her bank account “cleared out”.
She said: “I got a text telling me I owed a postage fee. I thought it could be about the trainers I just ordered online. I really wanted those trainers, so I just clicked on the link without thinking.
“The website looked genuine and asked for my personal details. That was that, or so I thought.”
However, a month later, the woman received a call out of the blue claiming to be from her bank’s fraud team.
The caller suggested her account had been compromised, but that he could help secure it if she logged on to online banking.
While convinced by the fact the caller knew a lot about her, the woman remained somewhat suspicious and asked how she could confirm the caller was from her bank.
When the caller told her to check the number on the back of her card and match it to the one she was receiving the call from, the numbers were identical.
However, this is a common scam technique known as number spoofing, where scammers can replicate the telephone numbers of real organisations to add legitimacy to their claims.
When the caller was also able to confirm some of the woman’s recent transactions, she let her guard down and felt she was able to trust who she was speaking to.
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The caller then asked her to download remote access software to her device, after which she would receive an automated call with a code.
He then instructed her to key in the code so her account could be secured – but warned her the process could take a while.
The woman explained: “So, I went and had a break. But meanwhile he was clearing out my bank account.
“I lost thousands. The whole thing had been a scam and it all started with one dodgy text message about a parcel.
“I couldn’t wait to get my new trainers. But I didn’t stop to think or challenge the message, so I couldn’t protect my money.”
Sadly, parcel or delivery scams could be rife at this time of year, with many heading online to order items in festive sales.
Scammers are likely to capitalise on people waiting for real parcels and deliveries in the hopes of making cash from their nefarious actions.
As a result, it is vital for Britons to stay alert, especially if they are awaiting a parcel themselves.
There are key warning signs a scam might be taking place and it is important for these alerts to be heeded at all costs.
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Firstly, scam texts often contain spelling errors which could be a huge sign a message is not legitimate.
Britons are urged never to click on messages contained within text messages, especially if they appear from out of the blue as individuals could unknowingly download a hidden virus onto their device.
All banking and personal details should be kept private to ensure scammers cannot steal one’s bank account details or identity.
Those who get tricked into sharing their details might not be scammed straight away, as scammers could lie in wait to target people later down the line.
If a person believes they have received a scam text, they should forward it to 7726 and then delete it from their device.
Britons who are victims of a scam should contact Action Fraud or Police Scotland for the matter to be investigated further.
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