How can I protect myself from scams?

Some people tell us they get messages or have phone calls from people saying they are StepChange. We call these 'clone firms'. Remember:

• We only contact you in the way you told us to. Update your preferences if you change your mind
• Tell us if you receive anything strange. We will look into it

Use our contact page to check if it is us. We will confirm if it was us trying to get in touch with you.

Find out more about clone firms.

What is the risk?

You may give personal details to a scammer that lets them access your bank account. This can put your other accounts at risk too, if you use the same details.

How do I stay safe?

Remember, your bank will never ask you to:

• Tell them your online banking password
• Authorise a payment from your account
• Move your money into another 'safe' account
• Carry out a 'test transaction' on your account to 'check that it is working'

What should I do if a scammer phones me?

End the call immediately. Make sure the line is completely cut off.

Some scammers can keep the line open even if you think you hung up. This means that if you phone the bank right away on the same phone you may end up speaking to the scammers again. Even if it is a different voice.

To make sure the connection is broken, phone a friend or parent from the same phone. You know a loved one's voice, so this helps you know the scammer has disconnected.

Get in touch with your bank and let them know what happened

Check your bank account see if any money is missing. Tell the fraud team right away. They can raise an enquiry for you and report it to the police.

This is when you get an email from what looks like a trusted source like your bank.

What is the risk?

Scammers can use your personal information to get into your accounts. The email usually asks you to click on a link and log in to your bank account. But you are actually giving your information to a fake website.

The email usually looks like it is from a real organisation. It will use:

• The company logo
• The same design
• Similar language

These can be very convincing.

How do I stay safe?

Spelling and grammar: Look for errors. Real bank emails are checked by multiple people before sign off. An email with spelling mistakes or bad English would not come from your bank.

The email address: Check where the email came from. Click on the 'from' name at the top of the message. Scam email addresses are usually:

• Filled with random numbers
• Misspelled
• Using a different name
• Using a different 'domain' than the real company. For example, someone claiming to write from HSBC might have an email address ending in HBBC.com

Links: Look at the link before you click on it.

To check on a desktop computer:

• Hover your mouse cursor over the link
• Do not click anything. This could trigger another security risk, like a virus
• Check if the link points to the real company's website. Do not click if there is a strange website underneath

How do I report an email scam?

Report phishing emails to Action Fraud.

They pass them to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB). This is a sub-division of the Police who specialise in tackling fraud in the UK.

Contact your bank if money is taken from your account. The fraud team needs to know as soon as possible.

Criminals hack into email accounts and look for messages about pending payments or money owed to the person they hacked. They will then email anyone who owes money posing as the people they hacked. The email contains the hacker's bank account details for payment.

What is the risk?

There is no reason to suspect the email if you know you owe money and the email is from the right address.

Your money is not protected unless you pay by credit card or Direct Debit. This makes it hard to get the money back.

What should I do if this happens to me?

When anyone emails you bank details, it is worth calling them to confirm.

• Look for the phone number on their website if you do not have it
• Do not call one included in the email
• Tell the person to update all their passwords if it was not them

Businesses should:

• Check their security measures
• Make sure they are strong
• Look for weaknesses hackers can use

You should also tell Action Fraud so they can investigate.

What is the risk?

Scammers can target people on social media by finding out who your family and friends are and setting up a fake account pretending to be them. They will use the fake account to contact you.

The scammer will say they are in a bad situation and need you to give them some money. They try to make you worry and then give you bank details to 'help them'.

How do I stay safe?

Check this is really the person you think it is. A scammer will not want to give you other contact details like a phone number.

• Call your loved one if you have their number
• Check their other social media profiles to see if recent updates fit with what they told you. Remember, the scam can be tailored to recent social media updates from your loved one

If it is clear someone tried to scam you, tell your loved ones so they can take steps to report and close the fake account.

What should I do if this happens to me?

When you make a payment in scams like this, you 'agree' to authorise the payment. This makes getting the money back really hard. Contact your bank's fraud department for help and support.

This is where scammers pretend to want a relationship with people they target on social media and dating sites

What is the risk?

The scammer gains trust by convincing you they like or love you. They will often be charming and want to know everything about you. They may also declare romantic feelings very early into the relationship.

It can be hard to spot these scams because we use dating websites to find love and hope to meet someone special. But keep an eye out for the warning signs:

• They ask you to give or lend them money
• They try to guilt you into giving them money
• They promise to pay you back
• They get rude, upset or aggressive if you say no

How do I stay safe?

Be careful anytime someone online asks you for money. You can help them by telling them about emergency support to cover food costs or financial needs.

Contact the support team of the website or social media platform if the person keeps asking for money and is making you uncomfortable.

Check the messages you sent. Have you told them anything personal like where you were born or your mother's maiden name? These are often security questions for online accounts.

Update all your passwords if worried.

What should I do if this happens to me?

Get in touch with your bank if you already gave the scammer money.

It is painful to feel tricked into an online relationship, but you are not alone. Romance scammers con millions of pounds out of people in the UK each year.

File a report to Action Fraud.