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Telecoms watchdog Ofcom has issued new guidance to try to crack down on the increasing menace of scam texts and phone calls.
Alarming new figures have revealed that 45 million people have been hit by suspicious messages or calls in the past three months alone.
During lockdown, when most of us were confined to our homes, more and more people were having packages sent to their front door – and that led to a wave of suspect messages asking for delivery fees.
READ MORE: Hermes parcel scam text warning – latest alarming messages and what to do
The texts appear to come from Hermes, Royal Mail or other firms but are generated by crooks sending out mass texts to thousands of phone numbers in a bid to get people’s payment information.
Others promised Covid cash support – using a fake Government website page – or tax refunds. And some asked for Amazon Prime payments after claiming subscription fees had failed to go through.
Ofcom has now issued guidance on what people should do if they get one of these messages or phone calls.
It says that while half of those targeted just delete the message, it is important not to do so, as it can be used to investigate the issue further and won’t stop other texts from arriving in the future.
READ MORE: West Mercia Police fraud warning as victims conned out of £9 million in just three months
Three things to do if you get a suspicious text
1. Stop! The text could be a scam. Read carefully and look for any details that don’t seem right.
2. Don’t click on any links or give out any personal or bank details.
3. Report any suspicious texts to 7726 and make your friends and family aware too. Simply forward the text to that number and it is directed to the mobile provider. These numbers can then be investigated and potentially blocked if found to be a persistently rogue number – helping to flush out fraudsters and prevent more people from being exposed to scam attempts.
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Three things to do if you get a suspicious call
1. Stop! Do not give out any personal or bank details.
2. Hang up and call the company they claim to be from to check if it is a scam.
3. Report scam calls to Action Fraud and make your family aware too. Action Fraud can be contacted on 0300 123 2040 or by visiting the Action Fraud website at www.actionfraud.police.uk
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Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom’s Networks and Communications Group Director, said: “Criminals who defraud people using phone and text scams can cause huge distress and financial harm to their victims, and their tactics are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
“We are working closely with industry, police, Government and other regulators to ensure strong actions are in place to tackle the threat posed by scam texts and calls. Ofcom is supporting industry’s work to develop technical solutions, while also raising awareness of the steps people can take to protect themselves.”
Ofcom says it has worked with telecoms operators to tackle scams and nuisance calls for several years but is concerned about the significant rise in scam calls and texts over the last 18 months.
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