Fraud

Fraud is one of the main risks resulting from lack of care when going online. It involves various kinds of trickery used to gain dishonest advantage over someone else, normally with the intention of financial gain. Fraud is currently estimated to cost £765 for every adult in the UK.

There are many words used to describe fraud, for example scam, con, confidence trick, swindle, extortion, sham, double-cross, hoax, cheat, ploy, ruse, hoodwink. 

Online fraud can be perpetrated via spyware and other malware or sometimes more elaborately in conjunction with other channels such as email, telephone calls or letters. 

Types of Online Fraud

• Account takeover
• Advance fee frauds
• Bank card and cheque fraud
• Business directory fraud
• Business opportunity fraud
• Clairvoyant or psychic scams
• Click fraud
• Domain name scams
• Fraud recovery fraud
• Government agency scams
• Identity fraud
• Inheritance fraud
• Internet auction fraud
• Land banking scams
• Loan scams
• Lottery scams
• Mass marketing fraud
• Money muling
• Online shopping fraud
• Pension liberation fraud
• Romance scams
• Vehicle matching scams
• West African or 419 scam
• Work from home scams

If you think you have been a victim of fraud: 

Report it to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud reporting centre by calling 0300 123 20 40 or by visitng www.actionfraud.police.uk

If you have been a victim of, or are aware of premium charge scams, contact www.phonepayplus.org.uk