Recognising A Scam

At Ebury we still see clients fall victim to scams. As scams can be difficult to recognise, we want to do our part to raise awareness and help keep our clients safe.

It's important to be aware of scams still making the rounds at the moment because of coronavirus. Scams to look out for include:

• advertising face masks or medical equipment at high prices
• emails or texts pretending to be from the government
• emails offering life insurance against coronavirus
• people knocking at your door and asking for money for charity

If you see emails or texts about coronavirus from someone you don't know, or from an unusual email address, don't click on any links or buy anything.

Don't give money or personal details to anyone you don't know or trust - for example someone who knocks on the door and offers to help.

It might be a scam if:

• it seems too good to be true – for example, a holiday that’s much cheaper than you’d expect
• someone you don’t know contacts you unexpectedly
• you’ve been asked to transfer money quickly
• you've been asked to pay in an unusual way
• you’ve been asked to give away personal information like passwords or PINs
• you haven't had written confirmation of what's been agreed

Protecting yourself online

If you’re buying something on a site you haven't used before, spend a few minutes checking it before you buy. Start by finding its terms and conditions. The company’s address should have a street name, not just a post office box.

Check to see what people have said about the company. It’s worth looking for reviews on different websites – don’t rely on reviews the company has put on its own website.

Don’t rely on seeing a padlock in the address bar of your browser, this doesn’t guarantee you’re buying from a real company.

Make your online accounts secure

Make sure you have a strong password for your email accounts that you don't use anywhere else.

Some websites let you add a second step when you log in to your account. This is known as ‘two-factor authentication’. This makes it harder for scammers to access your accounts.

If you notice suspicious activity on your account or if you have been a victim of fraud, please email fraud@ebury.com.