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Scams explained.
The most common schemes from parcel texts to fake calls: how they work, how to spot them and what you can do.
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Text messages
Fake parcel text: "Delivery failed"
You get a text saying a parcel could not be delivered. It is a fake message claiming to come from a delivery company, meant to lure you to a link.
Fake bank email: "Account locked" and "renew your security method"
An email looks like it comes from your bank and urgently asks you to update something. It is a fake message in the bank's name that wants to steal your login details.
Fake PayPal email: "Account limited" and "suspicious payment"
An email says your payment account is limited or that there is a suspicious payment. It is a fake message in PayPal's name that wants to capture your login details.
Fake Amazon email: order, Prime, locked account or refund
An email mentions an order, a Prime subscription about to end or a refund. It is a fake message in Amazon's name that sends you to a copied sign-in page.
Tax refund phishing: fake emails from authorities
Scammers send emails in the name of an authority: a refund, a payment reminder or a “data update”. The link or attachment leads to fake sites or malware.
Phone calls
Fake Microsoft support: the phone call and virus pop-up scam
Scammers pose as staff from “Microsoft” or “Windows support”. They claim your computer is infected and want access to your device and your money.
Fake bank employee call: when the bank seems to be calling
A supposed bank employee calls and warns about a suspicious transaction. The display may even show the bank's real number, because caller IDs can be faked.
Messenger
"Hi Mum, new number": the WhatsApp scam with the fake child
Scammers write on WhatsApp or by text and pretend to be your child with a new phone number. Soon after, they urgently ask you to transfer money.
Online shopping
Classified ads scam: the fake buyer with the "secure payment link"
If you sell something privately online, supposed buyers soon get in touch. They want to pay through a seemingly safe link, or ask for advance payments and codes.
How to spot a fake online shop
Fake shops look like real online stores but never deliver, or send only counterfeits. They lure you with unusually low prices and mostly demand payment in advance.
Ads and prizes
Prize draw scam: why "You have won" is often a trap
Ads, emails and surveys promise a great prize, such as a smartphone or a voucher. In reality it is about your data, hidden costs or subscriptions.
Crypto investment scam: fake ads with famous faces
Ads with well-known faces promise easy, high profits on an investment platform. The money you pay in ends up with the criminals.
General advice, not legal advice. If you lost money, involve your bank and the police.