For Fraud Awareness Week we caught up with IT Manager, Alex Bell who highlighted current scams to look out for and how to protect yourself.

Email scams, known as Phishing, are a type of deception where scammers try to acquire your personal or financial information or deliver malicious software, often by impersonating legitimate companies. One example is impersonating broadband providers. Always look very closely at the email as there may be subtle differences, such as a single letter. Inspect any links and make sure they lead where you would expect. If you weren't expecting the email don't click on any links.

Fake parcel delivery texts are on the rise. Scammers send fraudulent delivery company texts that contain links to scam websites. To avoid these scams, be cautious of unsolicited texts, unknown links, and report suspicious texts to your network operator. If you've been scammed, report it to your bank to increase your chances of getting your money back.

Social media scams are increasing. One type of scam that has become increasingly common on social media is fake appeals for help. Scammers create fabricated missing persons appeals, which are later modified into something entirely different, such as an investment scam. To avoid unknowingly participating in a scam, it's best to only share official posts, such as those from police accounts.

Phone scams are called vishing. An example of these scams is fraudsters who pose as bank representatives and use the phone to trick people into disclosing their personal information. To avoid becoming a victim of vishing scams, it's important to be cautious of unexpected phone calls and never share any sensitive information over the phone.

Romance scams are a type of deception where scammers create fabricated dating profiles online and use them to trick people into sending them money. It's important to exercise caution when using dating websites and never send money to someone you haven't met in person.