General Advice for Avoiding Phone, Email and Text Scams

Do not press 1 or follow any other instructions given in an automated message
If you are speaking to a person, don’t give them any personal information, don’t agree to make any payments and never allow them to access your computer remotely
Don’t click on any buttons or links in unsolicited emails, even if they look official
Contact your bank immediately if you think you may have made a payment to a scammer or if you are worried that a fraudulent transaction has been made from your account. Use the phone number on your bank statement or a publicly listed number (don’t use a number given to you by a cold caller). To ensure that you are disconnected from the cold caller, phone another number such as 123 before phoning your bank or call them from another phone.
Be wary when filling in online surveys or questionnaires through pop-up adverts on social media. These are used to generate leads for companies to cold call you.
If you agree to a home visit by a trader following a cold call or online survey, you may want to ask a trusted friend or family member to be there with you to provide a second opinion. Never agree to a purchase or contract on the spot – get at least two other quotes from trusted companies.
Report any scam calls to Advice Direct Scotland