Brits are being warned of six scams that could result in them losing thousands.
Money scams are happening across the UK and it’s helpful to know how to avoid being scammed before it’s too late.
Consumer experts at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have revealed the red flags of six money-making scams to help prevent households from losing their money to criminals.
The popular “Hi mum” message scam takes on a new informal style of messaging which makes it difficult for Brits to know what is real or fake.
There are several scams to be aware of including buying fake concert tickets and fake energy bill rebates.
John Stirzaker from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “It’s shocking how many Brits have been approached by scammers in the last year and it’s likely this will rise even more in the next year.
“We’ve all heard the heartbreaking stories of people losing thousands of pounds to scammers, which is why we want to spread awareness of the ways they’re currently targeting Brits.
“There are six types of scams that we’ve found to be spreading across the country currently, including the well-known “Hi Mum” text which has crippled many parent's bank accounts.
“But now this text isn’t just a straight-forward ‘hand me the money my phone is broken’, it’s now developed where they’ll message for days, putting kisses in messages and using social media to use personal information in conversations.
“We urge everyone who has been approached by a scammer to report the incident to Action Fraud and to ring up the bank straight away if any financial transactions were involved, so they’re aware of the situation.”
6 potential scams to be aware of
“Hi Mum”
If you’ve received a text message that says “Hi mum, my phone is broken, I need to buy a new one”, there’s a high chance that it has been sent by a scammer hoping to get money from you.
They’ll try to search your social media for personal information about you and send kisses at the end of text messages to make the messages look real.
If you are worried about your child, you should try to get in contact with them or someone they might be with first.
Fake concert tickets
Lots of artists have recently announced tours including Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Madonna.
NetVoucherCodes.co.uk says that scammers have been taking this opportunity to scam people by selling fake concert tickets with a hefty price tag.
Look out for people with a social media page that has few images or that are asking you to send money to a bank account with a different name – this could be a scammer.
Giveaway scams
People entering social media giveaways have been scammed with fake profile pages attempting to contact them to collect their prize as a way to get people to share personal information.
You should only accept messages and prizes from the original account where you entered the giveaway.
Premium phone call charges
If you’re trying to find the phone numbers of tech support or customer services online, you should double-check if the numbers are legitimate by visiting the website of the company you’re trying to contact.
Otherwise, it can result in a hefty phone bill. Premium charges of over £600 can be added to your account for spending less than a minute on the phone, even if the person answering the call sounds genuine.
Free items from promoters
Although many official brands often host giveaways on social media, there’s a rising number of fake promoters who message people telling them that they’re offering free clothes or items so they can get details of your address.
This information can be used along with your social media information to clone bank accounts or fake passports.
Fake energy bills rebate
Scammers have been taking advantage of rising energy bills by offering fake rebates to vulnerable households.
If you receive an email about a discount or rebate, don’t click on any links.
Check the Government website to see if you’re eligible or ring your energy supplier.
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