Rushmoor Against Scams

Rushmoor Against Scams Citizens Advice Rushmoor Scam Alert Page

04/11/2025

Knock knock? Be wary if a tradesperson arrives at your door unexpectedly, it might be a scam.

Some red flags to watch out for are:
❌ Pressures you to decide quickly
❌ Refuses to give you a written quote
❌ Insists on cash upfront

✅ Make sure you take your time, get everything in writing and do your own research.

It pays to be but we can help you ⤵️
https://bit.ly/48LfH86

04/11/2025

“It was pressure right from the beginning. They don’t give you time to think.”

Mary*, 84 and from north-east England, was persuaded to pay around £40,000 in cash to scammers claiming to be from her bank’s fraud department. She used her life savings, pension money and was pressured into borrowing from a friend. Part of the cash came from Mary being duped into taking out a five year, monthly-repayable loan for £30,000. The ordeal has left her traumatised and she’s since received treatment for depression from her GP.

It’s not always easy to spot scams. Scammers are coming up with new ways to manipulate people, which is why it’s important you know what to look out for and how to protect yourself.

It pays to be ⤵️
bit.ly/48LfH86

04/11/2025

⚠️ If you receive a text message about Winter Fuel Payments, it’s a scam.

Winter Fuel Payments are paid automatically to those eligible.

Report suspicious texts by forwarding them to 7726 for free 🤳

Beware fake tickets
20/06/2025

Beware fake tickets

A worrying type of scam. Will they not stop.
15/05/2025

A worrying type of scam. Will they not stop.

Remote connection scams
04/05/2025

Remote connection scams

More Rogue Traders
15/04/2025

More Rogue Traders

Current information from Action Fraud
15/04/2025

Current information from Action Fraud

25/03/2024

Useful information from Which about helping others when caught by scams.

4 ways to help a fraud victim

Being scammed can be devastating, but support from a loved one can make all the difference when it comes to recovery
Watching a friend or loved one suffer the after-effects of a scam is an incredibly difficult experience, which millions of people endure every year.

It's easy to feel powerless in the face of the UK's most common crime, because of the sheer scale of fraud offences annually and the devastating impact on individuals.

But friends and family can play a vital role in helping victims recover from a scam, both by offering non-judgemental emotional support and by and helping with the practicalities of mental health and financial recovery.

1. Tell them: 'You're not to blame'
Victim blaming is common with scams. Scam victims sometimes endure hurtful attitudes or comments such as: 'How on earth did you fall for that?'.

Remarks like these show ignorance of the sophisticated psychology of scams; criminals deliberately cause powerful emotions such fear and panic, or pose as an authority figure to override their victims' natural caution and get them to comply.
Fraud makes up 40% of all crime in England and Wales, and it's the crime type you're most likely to experience. Yet people who've experienced fraud are often deeply ashamed, which in turn fuels under-reporting.

So in a world that too often blames and mocks victims of fraud, remind your friend or relative that they are not to blame for the fraud. The only person responsible is the fraudster.

2. Find support

Guilt, shame, fear and loss of confidence are just some of the painful feelings that can arise for someone who's been scammed.
Victims suffering mental health issues following fraud may wish to explore support options such as talking therapy.
If your loved one is struggling with the emotional aftermath of fraud, encourage them to talk to their GP. They can also contact the helpline for Victim Support, a specialist charity for victims of crimes, including fraud.

They should also report the fraud to Action Fraud, or by calling the Police on 101 in if they live in Scotland.

When reporting the crime, they can also request victim support services, such as advice on how to secure their identity and avoid becoming a victim again.

3. Help them understand their rights

Victims may feel a sense of hopelessness about recovering their stolen funds. But you can empower them with the knowledge that many scam victims do recover some or all of their stolen funds.
Let them know that, depending on how they've paid the scammer, they may be able to benefit from consumer protections to help them get their money back.

For example, bank transfers may be covered by the Contingent Reimbursement Model (CRM), a voluntary code of which most major banks and building societies are now signatories.
Debit card payments (or credit card payments worth under £100) may be eligible for chargeback protection, while credit card payments worth £100+ could benefit from Section 75 protection.

4. Recognise an emergency

In a crisis, where someone is in profound distress as a result of fraud and is at risk of hurting themselves, call 999.

Officers can conduct a welfare check at the person's home to assess them, make sure they're safe and signpost them to medical assistance if required.

Four more new scams reported by Which to watch out for!
22/02/2024

Four more new scams reported by Which to watch out for!

11/02/2024

Which has reported a range of recent scams this year to watch out for, shown below with pictures removed.

9 February
TV Licensing scam email
This scam email spoofs an official TV Licensing email address. The subject line reads 'you're about to lose your licence'.
The message invites you to renew your licence online, but if you click on the link you'll be sent to a phishing website.
If you receive an email that claims to be from TV Licensing, don't click on any links.
Instead, navigate to the genuine TV Licensing website (www.tvlicensing.co.uk) and log in to your account to see if you have any messages.
Scam emails can be forwarded to [email protected] and dodgy websites to the National Cyber Security Centre.

Fake celebrity endorsement ads on YouTube
This dodgy advert uses an image of Richard Hammond appearing on This Morning to lure people into a phoney investment scheme.
The ad leads to a copycat BBC website which contains an 'article' promoting a scam investment company.
To report scam ads on YouTube, select the three dots under the ad and 'report ad.' Malicious websites can be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre.

7 February
Energy grant scams
Trading Standards Scotland has warned of cold callers and doorstep scammers posing as representatives of energy companies.
The cold callers tell you that you're eligible to receive funding or grants for boilers, insulation or heating systems.
You can protect yourself from doorstep scams by following our tips .
If you receive a spam call on your iPhone, you can report it to your provider by texting the word ‘call’ followed by the phone number to 7726.
On Android, text the word ‘call’ to 7726. You’ll then receive a message asking you for the scam number.

Evri impersonation scam text
A phishing scam text impersonates Evri and tells you that due to 'damage to the outer package,' your 'address information is lost' and therefore your parcel 'can not be delivered.'
This is the latest delivery attempt scam created by fraudsters to trick you into entering your details into a dodgy site.
Scam texts can be reported by forwarding them to 7726 and malicious websites to the National Cyber Security Centre.

5 February
DVLA scam email
A scam email impersonating the DVLA
A dodgy email impersonating the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) tells you that you need to make a payment update due to 'an issue with your last transaction' and leads to a phishing website.
Scam emails can be forwarded to [email protected] and dodgy websites to the National Cyber Security Centre.

Etsy scam message
A scam website impersonating Etsy
A message from scammers is targeting Etsy sellers saying: 'Due to an update to our payment system, orders on your account are currently on hold.'
It goes on to say that your store needs to be verified in order to be fully operational and it includes a link to complete this.
The dodgy link leads to a copycat website asking for your financial details.
Genuine messages from Etsy will always appear in the 'From Etsy' folder. If you receive a suspicious message, you can mark it as spam on Etsy by selecting the message and choosing 'spam'.
You can report scam websites to the National Cyber Security Centre.

1 February
Disney+ impersonation email
This scam email offers 12 months of free streaming on Disney+.
The link leads to a phishing website, which informs you that your membership has expired and encourages you to extend it for free.
You'll then be asked to provide your name, phone number, email address, and card details.
Scam emails can be forwarded to [email protected] and dodgy websites to the National Cyber Security Centre.

29 January
Cadbury WhatsApp scam
Fraudsters impersonating Cadbury are sending WhatsApp messages which claim to give away giant Easter eggs.
We reported on this scam in 2022 and it led to a dodgy website where you were asked survey questions before being asked for your personal information to have the 'prize' delivered.
These scams typically also ask you to share a WhatsApp link with others to spread the scam further, so you might receive this scam message from a contact whose been lured in by the scam.
If you do receive this message from a friend, let them know it's a scam and delete the message.
If it's from an unknown number, you can report the sender on WhatsApp by opening up the chat, tapping on the sender's contact details and selecting 'Block and Report'.
Dodgy websites can be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre.

26 January
Scam calls impersonating mobile networks
Scammers are impersonating the mobile networks EE, Vodafone and O2 in phishing calls.
These calls inform you that you're eligible for a discount on your phone bill, before asking for your personal and financial information.
You can report scam calls received on your mobile phone to your provider.
If you have an iPhone, text the word ‘call’ followed by the phone number to 7726.
If you have an Android phone, text the word ‘call’ to 7726. You’ll then receive a message asking you for the dodgy number.

24 January
Argos impersonation email

A scam email claiming to be from Argos offers an 'exclusive reward' in exchange for completing a '30 second marketing survey.'
This survey leads to a malicious website which asks for your financial information.
Scam emails can be forwarded to [email protected] and dodgy websites to the National Cyber Security Centre.

22 January
Action Fraud warns of TV Licensing scam emails
Action Fraud has received 6,307 reports in a two-week period relating to fraudulent emails impersonating TV Licensing.
These reports led to the removal of 268,000 scam sites.
The dodgy emails typically tell you that your TV Licence is about to expire or that there was an issue with your latest payment. They include links to copycat websites which attempt to steal your personal data.
Which? has previously warned about fraudsters sending fake TV Licence emails. TV Licensing sends its emails from [email protected] or [email protected].
Scam emails should be forwarded to [email protected] and websites to the National Cyber Security Centre.

Bank impersonation texts
Scam texts sent from random mobile numbers attempt to hurry you into following malicious links.
The messages, which tell you a transaction has been attempted on your account or a new card has been set up, include dodgy links to follow if 'this wasn't you'.
You can forward suspicious text messages to 7726 to report them and websites to the National Cyber Security Centre.

17 January
Royal Mail scam text
A text claiming to be from Royal Mail tells you that your package has 'arrived at the warehouse and cannot be delivered due to incomplete address information'.
The message prompts you to click a malicious link 'within 24 hours'. It also asks you to reply to the text message.
Don't click on the suspicious link or reply to this message.
To report scam texts, forward the message to 7726 and scam websites can be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre.

15 January
Energy Bill scam email
A dodgy email claiming to be from 'Gov.uk' tells you that you've been approved for 'the Energy Bill Support Scheme'.
Upon inspection of the email, it is sent from a random email address and leads to a dodgy website phishing for details.
You can report scam emails by forwarding them to [email protected].
Page deletion Facebook scam
Fraudsters are sending messages on Facebook telling you that 'Your page will be permanently deleted'.
Scammers previously targeted small business owners on Facebook with messages threatening page deletion.
The message goes on to say that this is due to 'a post that infringes our trademark rights' and contains a link to complain about the deletion.
The link leads to a phishing website which you can report to the National Cyber Security Centre.
To report a scam group, page or profile on Facebook, select the three dots on the right-hand side of the page and click ‘report’.
Email impersonating Asda
scammers are sending an email promoting the opportunity to win a '36-piece Tupperware set' from Asda which leads to a scam survey website.
The site asks you to complete 10 survey questions about shopping at Asda before you're asked to enter your personal and financial information to pay for 'shipping costs'.
You can report scam emails by forwarding them to [email protected] and dodgy websites to the National Cyber Security Centre.

10 January
John Lewis scam site
A scam website impersonating John Lewis
A scam website is impersonating retailer John Lewis using the URL: furniturehome.shop.
The website promotes non-existent John Lewis items at low prices and aims to phish for your personal and financial information.
You can report scam websites to the National Cyber Security Centre.

9 January
Scammers imitate the National Crime Agency (NCA)
Action Fraud and the Suspicious Email Reporting System (SERS) have received over 180 reports of emails impersonating the NCA since the start of December 2023.
The email tells you that the NCA has evidence of you viewing 'child po*******hy' or 'illegal pornographic content' and that you must contact the NCA within a given deadline or a warrant for your arrest will be issued.
It also says that your details will be added to the s*x offenders register.
While money isn't asked for in the email, scammers rely on you replying to the email in a panic to groom you into their scam and eventually ask you for cash.
If you receive a message from the NCA that you're unsure of, you can call them on 0370 496 7622 and you can report the email to the SERS by forwarding it to [email protected].

'Storage full' scam email
An email pertaining to be from Microsoft which tells you you're Cloud storage is full
An email impersonating Microsoft advises you to 'purchase additional cloud storage' to 'protect your images and data'.
The email also claims to offer a 'generous discount' on this additional storage as part of its loyalty program and includes a link to a phishing site.
You can report scam emails by forwarding them to [email protected] and dodgy websites to the National Cyber Security Centre.

Amazon impersonation email
A scam email impersonating Amazon
Scammers are sending emails from bogus addresses impersonating Amazon which tell you there's been a problem with your account.
It says: 'There is a problem with your Amazon account. We have temporarily suspended your Amazon account and cancelled all pending orders' and includes a dodgy link to verify your identity.

Which have published a summary of six ways that a scammer can gain your trust. These are fairly simple but often can pe...
26/01/2024

Which have published a summary of six ways that a scammer can gain your trust. These are fairly simple but often can persuade people to believe they are genuine - BEWARE.

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