Latest scams

Facebook bait and switch scams

What to look out for:

Fraudsters are using social media posts to send fake links to viral videos. These will appear as shared posts on popular places like Facebook. This is a bait and switch scam. The link goes to a fake site with a video. But a pop-up will ask you to update your video player with a download. The download will infect your device with a virus to steal personal and banking details. It will also send the fake post to your friends to try and scam them too.

What you should do:

• If you’re not sure who a person is on social media, then don’t connect with them. Some accounts are fake and just try to steal details.
• Don’t click on any links or attachments unless you know they’re safe.
• Make sure a site is safe before you give personal details.

Find out more about staying safe on social media

PayPal social media scams

What to look out for:

You may see fake PayPal social media posts that ask you to enter a prize draw. These will appear as promoted or shared posts on popular places like Facebook. They will ask you to follow a link to log on. This is a scam. The link will lead to a fake site to try and steal your personal details.

What you should do:

• If you’re not sure who a person is then don’t connect with them. Some accounts are fake and just try to steal details.
• Don’t click on any links or attachments unless you know they’re safe.
• Make sure a site is safe before you give personal details.

Find out more about staying safe on social media

Apple ID email scams

What to look out for:

You may get an email that looks like it comes from Apple. It will tell you that your card has been used to order something. The subject of the email could be either ‘Receipt ID’, ‘Receipt Order’ or ‘Payment Statement’. This is a scam. The email is fake and will try to get you to follow a link or attachment to cancel the order. The scam will try to steal your personal and banking details.

What you should do:

• Don’t open emails if you don’t know who sent them.
• Check the sender’s email address to make sure it’s genuine.
• Don’t click on any links or attachments unless you know they’re safe.
• If you’re not sure about an email, call the sender using a number from their site. Don’t call the number in an email or pop-up.

Find out more about email scams

Apple ID text scams

What to look out for:

Fraudsters are sending texts which look like they’re from Apple. It will tell you that your account has been locked and to click on a link to unlock it. This is a scam. The link takes you to a fake page to try and steal your personal or banking details.

What you should do:

• Be careful about opening texts that you didn’t expect.
• Don’t click on any links or attachments unless you know they’re safe.
• If you’re not sure about a text, call the sender using a number from their site. Don’t call the number in a text.

Find out more about text message scams

Google calendar email scam

What to look out for:

Fraudsters are sending fake emails that include a Google calendar invite. The subject of the event is in Russian and has a link to a video call. This is a scam. The link is there to try and steal your personal or banking details, or to infect your device. Your spam filter should pick this scam up. But to help protect yourself, you can follow these steps:

1. Open Google Calendar settings.
2. Go to Event Settings, find Automatically Add Invitations and select the option ‘No, only show invitations to which I've responded.’
3. Also, under View Options, make sure that ‘Show declined events’ is unchecked, so scam events don’t appear after they’re declined.

What you should do:

• Don’t open emails if you don’t know who sent them.
• Check the sender’s email address to make sure it’s genuine.
• Don’t click on any links or attachments unless you know they’re safe.
• If you’re not sure about an email, call the sender using a number from their site. Don’t call the number in an email or pop-up.

PayPal email scams

What to look out for:

Fraudsters are using emails that look like they come from PayPal. The most common message will tell you that there’s a ‘problem with your account’. It will include a link to follow to sort the problem out. This is a scam. The link will take you to a fake PayPal site to try and steal your personal or banking details, or to infect your device with a virus.

What you should do:

• Don’t open emails if you don’t know who sent them.
• Check the sender’s email address to make sure it’s genuine.
• Don’t click on any links or attachments unless you know they’re safe.
• If you’re not sure about an email, call the sender using a number from their site. Don’t call the number in an email or pop-up.

Another fake PayPal email will tell you that ‘you’re a prize winner’. But to collect your prize you must pay a small handling fee. This is also a scam.

Find out more about email scams