Cost of living scams are on the rise – with cybercriminals looking for ways to profit off the misery of the ongoing energy bills crisis.
Here, SMY IT Services’ Managing Director Jonathan SMY shares his tips on how to stay safe.
The warnings come after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published research showing a significant increase in phishing attacks where fraudsters posed as energy providers or government agencies.
More than 1,500 reports were made to the National Cyber Security Centre in the two weeks to August 5 alone about scam emails offering energy rebates from Ofgem.
These text messages direct people to a website where they are asked to enter their personal details.
Disclosed information is then often used to steal funds, make fraudulent purchases or for identity theft.
Everyone would like a discount on their energy bills. But it is important you take the time to spot a fraudulent message – as not doing so could lead to disaster.
Phishing messages are becoming increasingly harder to spot. But when you take a closer look, it is often very easy to spot a fake.
The first thing to look for is the sender. Messages are often sent from mobile phone numbers that are quickly taken down. If the message starts with “07” it is very unlikely to be from the government.
Likewise, taking a look at the link they want to direct you to almost always reveals it’s a scam. Official government websites always end with “.gov.uk.”
If you are ever in doubt about a link or a service, you can search for it on the official government website.
These messages often come with spelling mistakes, so take the time to read them carefully. Misspelt words are a clear sign that something is not right.
People across the UK are receiving cost of living scam messages. If you receive one – you are not alone.
The most important thing to remember is to never click a link in the message. If you accidentally do, do not disclose any information and close it immediately.
If you are still in doubt about the legitimacy of a message, you can contact the supposed sender using their genuine channels to check.
Likewise, the government also offers a scam checking service. Simply send an email with information about the message to report@phishing.gov.uk.
Scam messages can also be reported by forwarding them to 7726.
Those who believe they have fallen victim to a cost of living scam should contact Action Fraud immediately.
Crimes can be reported online via the Action Fraud website, or by phone on 0300 123 2040.
It is vital to change your passwords should you think any of your accounts have been compromised.
Good password practice and using multi-factor authentication on your accounts in future can help keep you protected.
The SMY IT Services team has more than 50 years’ tech and cybersecurity experience between them.
If you need advice on how to stay safe online, give us a call on 01473 557203 or visit our news page for further tips.
They are always on hand to help, especially outside of normal working hours to help lessen the disruption to our users.
- Ian Walters -