Who can help you if you have been scammed
You can report fraud, cybercrime, online scams or viruses through Action Fraud’s online reporting tool or by calling 0300 123 2040.
If you’ve got a scam email, report it to the Internet Service Provider (ISP) who sent you the email; it can then close the account that sent the email.
If the scam email is mimicking a company, contact the real company. It can verify that the communication is a fake and warn others to look out for it.
Premium phone rate scam victims can contact the Phone-paid Services Authority (PSA), the official regulator for content, goods and services charged to a phone bill. You can call on 0300 30 300 20 or head over to the PSA website.
Or if you’ve received a scam letter, forward it on to the Royal Mail with a covering letter to Freepost, Scam Mail, PO Box, Exeter, EX1 9UN. You can also email scam.mail@royalmail.com or call 03456 113 413.
What can I do and other members of my community to help?
Raise the level of awareness below are some links to site that others in the community should be aware of:
Take Five
Take Five a national awareness campaign led by FFA UK (part of UK Finance), backed by Her Majesty’s Government and delivered with and through a range of partners in the UK payments industry, financial services firms, law enforcement agencies, telecommunication providers, commercial, public and third sector, urges you to stop and consider whether the situation is genuine – to stop and think if what you’re being told really makes sense. Follow this link to the Take Five Site>>
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 ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
PROTECT
Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud.
Action Fraud is the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime where you should report fraud if you have been scammed, defrauded or experienced cyber crime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
They provide a central point of contact for information about fraud and financially motivated internet crime. People are scammed, ripped off or conned everyday and we want this to stop.
The service is run by the City of London Police working alongside the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) who are responsible for assessment of the reports and to ensure that your fraud reports reach the right place. The City of London Police is the national policing lead for economic crime.
Click on the heading that best describes the type of scam. You will be forwarded to the Action Fraud website to get more information.
Pensions
Action Fraud and the National Crime Agency have been working with Law Enforcement and Regulatory partners to suspend these websites to protect the public.
Banking & credit
Banking & credit fraud has occurred if transactions you have made show up on your bank statement.
Business
Business directory fraud is when a business receives a form in the post, by email or fax, appearing to offer a free listing in a business directory.
Charity fraud
Charity donation fraud is when fake charities play on your sympathy by asking you to make a donation to a worthy cause.
Financial Investment
ÂŁ1.2 billion is lost to investment scams in the UK, with share sales and carbon credits commonly used by fraudsters to target potential investors.
Customer Fraud
Premium rate phone line scams Shopping fraud Smishing Ticket scams Travel and subsistence fraud.
Insurance Fraud
Insurance-related frauds happen when false claims are made to insurance companies.
Cyber fraud
You believe someone obtained your plastic card, cheque or account details to steal money from your bank account.
Telecomms
Telecommunications frauds involves the misuse of airtime by fraudsters who have no intention of paying any bills.
Advance fee
Advance fee fraud is when fraudsters target victims to make advance or upfront payments for goods, services and/or financial gains that do not materialise.
Listen to our audio guide
Resources and information sheets – downloads from Action Fraud
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| NCSC Account Recovery Fact Sheet | 197 KB |
| NCSC Antivirus Fact Sheet | 255 KB |
| NCSC Business and Email Compromise Fact Sheet | 297 KB |
| NCSC Denial of Service (DoS) Fact Sheet | 117 KB |
| NCSC Passwords Fact Sheet | 230 KB |
| NCSC Phishing Fact Sheet | 314 KB |
| NCSC Ransomware Fact Sheet | 392 KB |
| NCSC Sextortion Fact Sheet | 155 KB |
| NCSC Data Breach Fact Sheet | 204 KB |
| NCSC Used Devices Fact Sheet | 194 KB |
| Action Fraud consumer leaflet | 2.72 MB |
| Action Fraud poster | 1.9 MB |
| Action Fraud business leaflet | 3.05 MB |
| Advance fee fraud_fact sheet | 783.33 KB |
| Identity crime_fact sheet | 845.74 KB |
| Computer software service fraud_fact sheet | 842.77 KB |
| Banking and credit card fraud_fact sheet | 786.65 KB |