What to watch out for
Phishing - the fraudster poses as a legitimate customer or business and tricks you via email into sending them money or sharing sensitive information such as credit card numbers or bank details. They may also do it by phone or text, known as Vishing (Voice Phishing) or Smishing (SMS phishing) respectively.
Invoice fraud - the fraudster poses as a supplier or contact and sends a fake bill or invoice requesting urgent payment. They may ask for a new transaction to be set up or for existing payment details to be changed. The fraud is often only discovered when the real company chases the outstanding amount.
Business email compromise - the fraudster gains access to a supplier or client's email account, pose as a trusted contact and deceive you into transferring funds into a fraudulent bank account or sharing sensitive information.
Purchase scams - the fraudster lists fake or non-existent items for sale on social media and websites. Their adverts look genuine, and someone you know could share or repost one without realising it’s a scam.
Safe account scams - the fraudster contacts you by phone, claiming to be from your bank and saying your account has been compromised. They then encourage you to transfer your money into a ‘safe account’ they control.