Fraudsters thrive in times of turmoil as they know their victims are vulnerable.
During the pandemic, crooks tricked victims out of more than £2 billion. Covid-related scams exploited the vaccine rollout, Government support packages and the boom in online shopping.
But now we are through the worst of the pandemic, cynical scammers are turning their attention to the cost of living crisis.
On the prowl: From fake energy bills to bogus supermarket discounts, cynical scammers are turning their attention to the cost of living crisis
John Herriman, from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, says: ‘For the unscrupulous, crises are opportunities to make a dishonest profit from the most vulnerable. And the cost of living crisis risks a rise in consumer harm the UK has not seen for decades.’
From fake energy bills to bogus supermarket discounts, here Money Mail reveals the latest scams to watch out for . . .
False energy bills
Energy scams are taking off as fraudsters seek to cash in on the chaos caused by soaring bills and suppliers collapsing.
One fake British Gas email sent to victims claimed their bill was ‘still overdue and needed paying’. It included a link to a copycat website where victims were told to enter personal details.
In reality, this information goes straight into the hands of crooks, who could later use it to con you.
Fraudsters are also preying on people’s desperate attempts to save money. A scam email claiming to come from EDF said customers could…
