North Yorkshire Police say that with the countdown to Christmas well and truly underway, they are warning people to be on their guard against festive season scams.
Andy Hugill, a digital PCSO for North Yorkshire Police, said: “While shoppers look to snap up a bargain we are urging them to take a few simple steps to avoid being ripped off.
“Fake websites, scam texts and bogus competitions are just some of the tactics fraudsters use.”
He said the five scams to look out for over Christmas are:
1. Scam delivery texts and emails – You may get an email or text message saying your package has been delayed and it asks you to click on a link to track its status. This link could lead you to a phishing site that steals your personal information. Malicious texts are where someone clicks on a link and provides information, they may then get a phone call from someone claiming to be from their bank who offers to help safeguard funds by trying to convince someone to transfer money into a bogus 'safe account'. Forward suspicious text messages to 7726 and send scam emails to report@phishing.gov.uk
2. Fake and copy-cat websites - The holiday season brings endless emails offering deals, sales, and bargains. Some lead to look-alike websites that trick people into downloading malware, making non-existent purchases, and sharing private information. Authenticate a website by checking the address is spelled correctly. Ideally, type it in rather than clicking on a link, or go to https://getsafeonline.org/checkawebsite
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