Fraud and Scams
Fraud is when someone tricks or scams you out of money or something else valuable. There are various types of Fraud which Merseyside Police describe below.
Personal fraud might be someone pretending to be your bank to trick you into transferring money into their account.
Business fraud could be someone lying in company accounts to steal from people who have loaned them money.
Fraud often happens online, like ticketing scams or using a fake dating profile to con money from you.
Every year, millions of people in the UK are scammed – from all walks of life. If you've been scammed, you're not alone, and there's support available.
You may be worried that someone you know has become victim to a scam. Look out for these warning signs:
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- Unusual amounts of post or letters in their home
- Evidence of large cash withdrawals or multiple cheque payments
- Lack of money to pay for other things
- Lots of phone calls from strangers or companies.
Some scam victims don’t realise that they are being scammed or refuse to believe it. They may feel that the scammers are their friends, or that their returns or prizes will come through if they continue to respond. This can make it very difficult to talk to them about getting help.
Raise the subject with them sensitively – perhaps by asking them about the calls and mail they receive. See if they might be willing to register for the Mail Preference Service and the Telephone Preference Service to help block some of the calls and mail.
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- Help them to report the fraud. You can report fraud to Reporting cyber crime and fraud or phishing attempts - Report Fraud on behalf of someone or encourage them to report it. It’s advised that you get permission from the victim before reporting the fraud on their behalf, but you can report the fraud without their permission.
- Find support locally. The government has advised that internet scams, postal scams and doorstep crime are all forms of financial abuse and are often targeted at adults who need care and support.
If you're concerned that an adult who needs care and support has been affected by a scam you can raise your concerns via Adult Social Care on 0345 140 0845. They will make safeguarding enquiries and work with the adult to consider the action that may need to be taken.
Take Five is a national campaign that offers straight-forward and impartial advice to help everyone protect themselves from financial fraud. This includes email deception and phone-based scams as well as online fraud – particularly where criminals impersonate trusted organisations. Take a moment to read their leaflet offering advice and support.
Cyber Aware Cyber Aware provides cyber security advice for small business and individuals.
Get Safe Online Get Safe Online is the UK’s most popular source of easy-to-understand information about online safety.
Hourglass A national charity aiming to end the harm, abuse and exploitation of older people in the UK.
National Cyber Security Centre The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is a part of GCHQ and is the UK’s lead authority on cyber security.
Scams: the power of persuasive language. This publication shows how criminals use language in subtle and powerful ways to scam people out of money.
The Little Book of Fraud The Little Book of Fraud is a tool that provides clear, accessible information that helps people recognise fraud early, protect themselves or others, and know what to do if something goes wrong.
For support and information around Sexual image exploitation and revenge porn: Sextortion - Report Fraud / Revenge Porn Helpline - 0345 6000 459 | Revenge Porn Helpline