Fraudulent activity - Stop! Think Fraud

Fraudulent activity - Stop! Think Fraud

Hello Resident,

We are urging people to remain vigilant following a report of Gift Card Scam.

This involves scammers buying gift cards for small amounts and then cloning the card and then will place the cloned card back on the shelves. You then will purchase a gift card and when it goes to be used the money will already be spent without yourself using it or the person who received the gift card as a gift.

The other popular scam with gift cards is getting vulnerable/ elderly people to buy gift cards and these are then passed on to the scammers. They usually will pay for the gift cards in cash

We have some tips to help you stay protected from this type of fraud:

Don't share any numbers of the gift cards

No genuine company will ask to pay bills in gift cards

Always double check who your talking to buy ringing up the genuine company. Just because they know a few of your details doesn't mean its true

Fraudsters will frequently try and rush you, but it is always recommended to Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams

Things to look out for include:

Authority or a ‘trusted’ voice - Does the message claim to be from someone official? Your bank, doctor, energy supplier or a government department for instance?

False urgency - Are you being told you have a limited time to respond? Or been asked to keep the call a secret from family or friends?

Emotion - Do they use language that makes you feel fearful, hopeful, or curious?

Scarcity - Are you being offered something that is in short supply or not widely available? Tickets for a concert? An amazing holiday deal?

Current events - Does the message seem timely? Criminals often exploit current news stories, big events, or specific times of year?

Building relationships - Is someone showing particular interest in you, your family, or your circumstances? Have you received unexpected contact from someone?

If you believe that you have been a victim of fraud, please remember that it is not your fault.

Please report to Action Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Victims First provides free emotional and practical support to victims and witnesses of crime, including family members of victims. Contact them on 0300 1234 148, by Online Chat or via an Online Referral.

The Fraud Protection Toolkit focuses on the contact routes used by fraud criminals and provides the actions which someone may choose to take to try and minimise the risk as much as possible.

It also includes sections on how to safeguard personal information and finances, as well as a dedicated section detailing how it may be possible to recover money lost to fraud.

Please share information of this alert within your communities to help prevent further instances.

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Message Sent By
Danielle Colville
(Thames Valley Police, Police Community Support Officer, Windsor & Maidenhead)