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Vishing
Telephone fraud
Telephone fraud is one of the most popular methods of fraud. Here's some help to stop you being a victim
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Smishing
Text message fraud
Is when a fraudster sends a text message to try and trick you into giving away your personal and security information.
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Phishing
Email fraud
It's when you get emails pretending to be from legitimate sources, but they’re asking you to give away personal or private information.
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How to avoid social engineering fraud
Thankfully, it’s often fairly simple to spot a social engineering attack email or text message. There’s a few simple things you can look out for:
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Is everything spelt correctly and are you addressed by your name? Often fraudulent messages will have spelling and grammar errors and won’t address you correctly.
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Is what they are offering too good to be true? If it seems that way, then it probably is.
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Don’t download any attachments or click on any links, unless it is from someone you know and you were expecting it from them.
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Make sure your computer or laptop and antivirus software is up to date. If you do receive a fraudulent email, this will make sure your computer is protected if you do accidentally download an attachment with a virus.
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If you receive anything unexpected asking for your passwords or financial information, it is most likely a scam. If it appears to be from a friend or a company you know, give them a call to check if it was actually from them.
What a social engineering scam is
A social engineering scam is when a hacker tries to trick you into giving over personal information about yourself, such as your login details or passcode for Digital Banking.