Avoiding Scams Advice Booklet

Each year many people fall victim to fraudsters, intent on stealing their personal and financial information and conning them out of their cash. The fraudsters sound convincing, professional and may claim to represent a business you know, such as your bank. They may pressurise you to act quickly, either because they want to trick you into believing you will miss a golden opportunity to make money or that you will suffer some sort of loss if you fail to act. It only takes a single response to be inundated with many different scams as the scammers sell on your details.

*If you are the victim of a scam it is important to seek support. Speak to someone you trust. Never stay silent.*

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How does online shopping fraud happen? Online shopping fraud happens when you discover a problem with something you’re buying or selling in an online auction or marketplace, such as eBay, Gumtree or Etsy. Online auctions and marketplaces have become a very popular way of trading online, but fraudsters are using them to take advantage of your trust to sell poor-quality or non-existent items. You may find that something you’ve bought online arrives late or never at all. In some cases the products you’ve paid for are less valuable than shown in the advert, different from the original description, or you weren’t told crucial information about the product or terms of the sale.