Be on your guard against further fraud

If you’ve been a victim of fraud, there’s a chance you’ll be targeted again. This is because fraudsters add victims’ details to lists that they then sell on to other criminals. So in the months afterwards, be extra wary of anyone asking you to share confidential information such as bank details, passwords, one- time passcodes and PINs.

One type of fraud to be particularly suspicious of is ‘fraud recovery fraud’. With this type of fraud, the criminal poses as someone from a fraud recovery agency and offers to help the victim recover their lost money. They might know a lot of details, which makes them sound credible, but they demand an upfront fee. That’s the sign that this is a fraud. Genuine agencies never ask for fees to recover money lost to fraudsters.

To protect your personal information

• Keep your personal information, credit cards, passwords and pin numbers in a safe place (preferably a lockable drawer or safe) and don’t share these details with people or companies you don’t know or trust.   
•  Never throw away bills, receipts, credit or debit card slips, bank statements or even unwanted post without destroying them first, ideally with a shredder.   
•  Always protect your post, especially if you live in a building where other people can easily access it. When you move house, redirect your mail from your old address to your new one for at least a year.   
• Check all your statements and financial records as soon as they arrive and report any discrepancies straight away.   
•  Regularly obtain and monitor your credit report and check it for any discrepancies.   
• Opt out of data collection on websites and ask Google to remove personal information. 

To stay safe online

• The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recommends using passkeys over passwords wherever they are available. They are easier to use and more secure.  
• You don’t need to remember a passkey as they are created and managed safely by the software on your device(s).  
• An online service may prompt you to add a passkey to your account after you sign in or when revisiting the site or app. If you’re not automatically prompted to add a passkey, then you can often find the option in your ‘Account settings’. 
• Where passkeys are not an available option, you should use strong passwords, for example generated by a password manager, and enable 2-step verification (2SV). This still provides good protection to your online accounts. 
• Keep your devices secure by installing the latest software and app updates. These contain important security updates that help protect you from cyber criminals. 

You may wish to consider

• You may wish to sign up to Cifas Protective Registration.  For £30 you can have Protective Registration for 2 years which tells any Cifas organisation (which includes most banks, credit providers and telecommunication companies) to carry out extra checks whenever your name or details are used to apply for their services. 
•  You may wish to register with Companies House and sign up to their electronic filing, PROOF and monitor services.   
• Contact HM Passport Office (HMPO), Drive and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), General Register Office (GRO) and Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) if the fraud involved stolen government documents or benefits.    
• Check if this is fraudulent material by using Citizens Advice “get help with scams”