Be aware this Christmas

In this technological world, scammers are always trying to get the upper hand and you’d be forgiven if you didn’t know where to start with trying to identify one.

But with just a few precautions you can make sure you stay safe from scams of any sort! So, we’ve come up with some useful tips on how to avoid them.

Staying safe online

• Check who the email is from? – Often an email could look official, even if it’s not. A good way to spot a genuine email is to identify the sender. This useful blog has three ways to help you verify the identity of an email.
• Visit the company’s website directly – It can be pretty scary receiving an email saying something like your passwords been hacked. If you get an email with an urgent action from somewhere like a bank, by-pass the email and contact them directly. They’ll be able to tell you if it’s genuine and help.
• Get someone to help – If you’re not sure, get a second opinion from a family member, friend or neighbour. They may have had the same thing just recently.

Doorstep traders

• Don’t be afraid to say no – If they’re an official caller, you should be able to phone their office to confirm their visit. Check this if you’re unsure and always question why they’re visiting.
• Do they have ID? – Always check to see if they have the relevant identification that confirms they are who they say they are.
• Are they asking for payment? – If they’re asking for money to provide a service you weren’t expecting to receive, question it. Especially if it’s someone saying they’re from Alliance Homes, we’ll never ask for payment on the doorstep.

Phone calls

• Ask for the person’s name and call back – If someone is calling from a business, you should be able to check their identity before discussing any details. Ask for their name, call the business’s main number and ask to be put through to them. Doing this will at least verify they are from where they say they are.
• Is it too good to be true? – Ahh yes, this age old saying. Unfortunately, this is often the case and if it is too good to be true, it is. Think about what they’re asking from you and if it makes sense.