How to spot a scam text, email or phone call

The warning signs

• Urgency or fear

  "Your account will be closed today", "A warrant has been issued", "Pay now to avoid a fine."

• Something you didn't expect

  A parcel you didn't order, a refund you didn't ask for, or a prize from a competition you didn't enter.

• A request for money, bank details or a code

  Genuine banks and companies never ask for your full PIN, password or the one-time code they've just sent you.

• Pressure to keep it secret

  Scammers often tell you not to speak to your bank or family.

• Links that look slightly wrong

  A misspelt company name, or an odd web address.

• A caller who says they're from your bank, the police or a tech company

  And asks you to move money or install software.

What to do

1. 1

   Stop

   Don't click the link, reply, or call the number in the message.

2. 2

   Check it yourself

   Contact the company using the number on their official website, your bank card or a recent statement. To reach your bank, you can call 159, which connects you to many UK banks' fraud teams.

3. 3

   Hang up on suspicious calls

   If someone calls claiming to be your bank, hang up and call back on a number you trust, ideally from a different phone, because scammers can keep the line open.

4. 4

   Report it

   Forward scam texts to 7726. Forward scam emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.

5. 5

   If you've lost money or shared bank details,

   Contact your bank straight away, then report it to Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, contact Police Scotland on 101.

If this happens, try this

• If you clicked a link but didn't enter anything

  Close the page. Run a security scan if it downloaded anything.

• If you entered a password

  Change it straight away on the real website, and anywhere else you use the same password.

• If you let someone connect to your computer

  Turn off the internet connection, run a security scan, and change your passwords from a different device.

• If you shared a one-time code

  Contact the company it came from immediately.

Things to be careful about

• Scam messages can appear in the same conversation as genuine ones, because scammers can fake the sender's name.

• Caller ID can be faked too. A familiar number on screen doesn't prove who's calling.

• Never let anyone you don't know take remote control of your computer.