Halloween is the season for scary tricks, ghoulish pranks and chilling treats, but nothing is scarier than falling victim to fraud. To help you avoid this, make yourself aware of popular scams and follow these safety tips.
1) Taking advantage of the living…
Most people know it is good practice to review your bank and credit card statements regularly. With so many transactions being managed online, it’s easy to assume you’re on top of your balance without reviewing the details. Identifying erroneous transactions quickly can only help your chances of stopping further fraud and getting your money back.
2) And the dead…
Beware, criminals are also targeting the names of deceased persons, as another way of opening fraudulent credit card accounts. So, if you have a friend/relative who has died recently, lookout for new credit card and store account statements arriving in their name and check for non-standard transactions. If in doubt, check with the credit card company.
3) It’s not just you the scammers will target…
It’s your business too. Be sure to change passwords for yourself and your colleagues regularly. And again, double check those bank statements, particularly for high volume transaction businesses. We had a client successfully identify and recover in excess of £5,000 earlier this year, just because they regularly checked the company bank statement. Remember, the banks do their best, but their systems won’t always recognise when there is a scam.