It’s not easy spotting a scam and there are various types doing the rounds. Having worked in cyber-security, I have seen the impact that these types of scams can cause. This is a particularly vulnerable time for everyone. Everyone is at home, on devices more than ever and the scammers are taking advantage of this. At John Bray, we take security very seriously, so we wanted to share some of our expertise when it comes to what you should be looking out for. Here are just some common types of scams to watch out for that have been doing the rounds:

Business opportunity fraud

Charity donation fraud

Government agency scams

Health scams

Holiday fraud

Inheritance fraud

Loan scams

Online shopping fraud

Work from home scams

Here are a few you might want to watch out for:

Coronavirus vaccine. If you receive an email, text message or phone call purporting to be from the NHS and you are asked to provide financial details or pay for the vaccine, this is a scam #coronavirusfrauds

Claim your supermarket special prize or voucher. Fraudsters are at it again with supermarket giveaway scams! They are sending supermarket emails! According to ActionFraud, over 500 were reported this week. report@phishing.gov.uk #PhishyFridays

Your bank account has been compromised. Fraudsters will try every trick in the book to get you to part with your hard-earned cash. The police or your bank will never ask you to transfer money out of your account for fraud reasons. https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/

Self-assessment. This is a common one doing the rounds. With the extension of the date of the return to the end of February, be careful not to click on anything you are not 100% sure about. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/reporting-fraudulent-emails

Investment scams. Don't jump into an investment just because others say they have done the same. Check the FCA warning list before investing at www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart

Pyramid Scheme. Would you be able to spot the signs of pyramid scheme fraud? To learn how to protect yourself and find out more, visit: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/.../pyramid-scheme-fraud