Anti-fraud campaigners are warning people to be on their guard against scams this month as work and social diaries start filling up again following the summer holidays.
The Take Five To Stop Fraud campaign said the “back to the grind” feeling in September could make falling for a fraud more likely.
Take Five is run by UK Finance, which represents the banking and finance industry.
A survey commissioned by the campaign has found half of people feel busier when returning from a holiday.
Just over a third (34%) said being busy makes them more likely to take a chance on a cheap deal or financial offer while nearly half (46%) were also more likely to lose focus or fail to check the details of a communication they receive, potentially putting them at risk of fraud.
About three-fifths (59%) of people surveyed are concerned about falling victim to fraud, with nearly a third (31%) having received scam attempts over the summer.
Over three-fifths (61%) are worried about their friends and family members becoming vulnerable to fraud when they are busy or distracted.
Campaign spokesperson Paul Maskall said: “We know that being busy and distracted can often mean we are more susceptible to criminals’ fraud attempts.
“September is a busy time for people as they get back to their daily lives and therefore it’s important to remind ourselves to be alert to fraudsters and to stop and challenge requests that don’t feel right.
“After all, criminals are experts at pretending to be a person or organisation we trust and sometimes try to rush or panic us. My best tip is to follow the advice of the Take Five To Stop Fraud campaign and stop and think if someone asks for your money or personal information.”
Take Five is hosting pop-up events in London, Manchester and Glasgow, where people are encouraged to take a moment to stop and think.
Harry Clark, winner of BBC’s The Traitors, who will be attending the London event on Wednesday, said: “I’ve teamed up with Take Five To Stop Fraud to help inform everyone on how they can stay safe. Taking a moment to stop and think when faced with a request for money or information really can keep you safe.”
The Take Five To Stop Fraud campaign advice is to:
– Stop – Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.
– Challenge – Could it be fake? It is OK to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
– Protect – Contact your bank immediately if you think you have fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud.
Censuswide carried out a survey of 3,000 people across the UK in August.
Mark Tierney, chief executive of Stop Scams UK, said: “The Take Five campaign does great work in highlighting the tactics used by criminals.
“Scammers will try to rush you into making rash decisions and manipulate you into parting with your money and financial details. That’s why we set up 159.
“If you suspect you are being targeted or worried you’ve lost money to a scam, stop, hang up and call 159. This will provide a direct and secure way to contact your bank and help stop scammers in their tracks.”
Account providers taking part in the 159 scheme include Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Co-operative Bank, First Direct, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, Metro Bank, Monzo, Nationwide Building Society, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, Starling, Tide, TSB and Ulster Bank.
The locations and dates where the anti-fraud events will be are:
– King’s Cross, London, September 4
– Exchange Square, Manchester, September 5
– Buchanan Galleries, Glasgow, September 12.
