If you receive a call, text, or email asking for your personal information (like your credit card number or bank account number), don’t do anything right away. First, take a few minutes to think about it. Maybe the person who called or sent the email is trying to commit fraud. If that’s the case, then you should report the incident to your bank or credit card company.
1.Be absolutely certain who you’re speaking to
The request may be legitimate if it is something you can do or if it is something you need to do to complete your work or assignment. Can you tell me what that request is for?
2.do not assume the phone call or an email sent to you is genuine
Don’t give out your personal or financial details to anyone you don’t know very well. If you’re not sure who you’re talking to, don’t share anything until you do.
Even if someone seems to know a lot about you, it’s not always safe to believe them. Fraudsters may try to get you to trust them by pretending to be from your bank or another organization. They may even try to get you to give them your personal information. So be careful before you give away any information, even if the person seems friendly.
3. Don’t be rush about making a financial decision
If you’re asked to make a quick financial decision, don’t do it. It’s not safe and you probably don’t have all the information you need. Banks and other trusted organizations won’t ever force you to do something you don’t want to do, and they won’t ask you to transfer money into an account if there are legitimate reasons for doing so. If something seems strange, stop and ask for more information.
4. Listen to your instinct
If you feel like something is wrong or strange, it’s usually a good idea to question it. Fraudsters will try to mislead you – they may try to make you feel safe when out in the world, or they may use your defenses down at home. They may seem trustworthy, but they may not be what they seem.
5. Stay in control
When you are talking with someone, always stay in control. It’s okay to stop a conversation if something feels too risky or if someone is asking for too much personal or financial information.
Take Five is a campaign to help people stay safe from financial fraud. This includes scams where people are tricked into giving away personal information, like their email address or phone number, or where criminals try to trick you into thinking they are from a trusted organization.
Take Five is a project that is being delivered by a range of partners in the UK payments industry, financial services firms, law enforcement agencies, telecommunication providers, and other commercial and public sectors. This project is designed to stop fraud.
