Scam awareness guidance from Citizens Advice
Advice from Citizens Advice
Scams can be difficult to recognise, but there are things you can look out for.
It might be a scam if:
- it seems too good to be true – for example, a holiday that’s much cheaper than you’d expect
- someone you don’t know contacts you unexpectedly
- you suspect you’re not dealing with a real company – for example, if there’s no postal address
- you’ve been asked to transfer money quickly
- you've been asked to pay in an unusual way – for example, by iTunes vouchers or through a transfer service like MoneyGram or Western Union
- you’ve been asked to give away personal information like passwords or PINs
- you haven't had written confirmation of what's been agreed
If you’ve been scammed, you need to:
- protect yourself from further risks
- check if you can get your money back
- report the scam