West Mercia Police reminding people to watch out for different scams as winter approaches

The Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign say nearly a third of people they surveyed received scam attempts over the summer

Author: Elliot BurrowPublished 9th Sep 2024

West Mercia Police are reminding people of all ages to continue to be alert when it comes to facing threats of fraud after the summer holidays have finished.

The Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign say the return to a busier schedule this month could make falling for a scam more likely, with about three-fifths of people they surveyed concerned about falling victim to fraud.

Inspector Daniel Fenn from the cyber crime unit says listening to the advice that's out there can keep you stay safe.

"As we move into the winter months, the frauds we tend to see an increase in is shopping frauds, so online shopping as we move into the Christmas period, and any type of phishing emails where they are asking for your details.

"Although fraud suspects do target the elderly community, anybody can be a victim of fraud if they have for example an online footprint.

"For those such as university students or those purchasing stuff online, is make sure they have things like two-factor authentication in place, as it just makes it harder for fraudsters to access your information."

The government also have advice on how to spot signs of fraud over on their website.

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