The 12 Christmas scams to watch out for including Cadbury 'free gift' > 자유게시판

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Britons are having to be more alert than ever this Christmas as criminals target them with a series of scams from fake fashion sites to Cadbury 'free gift' cons.

Consumers have also been warned about knock-off beauty advent calendars, dodgy phone calls from 'bank fraud departments' and phishing emails.

Action Fraud has now highlighted 12 main types of fraud which resulted in victims losing a combined total of £224million during the 2023 festive period.

The scams have been listed as phishing; pet fraud; online shopping fraud; social media and email account hacking; courier fraud; romance fraud; gift card fraud; charity fraud; investment fraud; QR code fraud; holiday fraud; and ticket fraud.

It comes after three million phishing emails were reported to the Government's Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) from November 2023 to January 2024.

And a new report by the Payment Systems Regulator has warned more than half of scams now involve Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp as fraudsters successfully exploit social media platforms, phone networks and email to target victims.

Here, MailOnline looks at 12 scams consumers should watch out for this year:


 



'Bogus' fashion sites with 'fake' closing down sales
Bogus online fashion sites are 'scamming' furious customers with knock-off products after enticing them in with huge Christmas discounts.

Dozens of people shopping for last-minute festive gifts for loved ones claim to have been 'ripped off' by two websites flogging fake 'cashmere' clothes.

The firms, Velora-London.co.uk and Thompson-Oxford.com, both appear to share identical 'sob stories' online and in social media adverts designed to tug at customers' heartstrings and dupe them into spending money.




Velora London.co.uk is offering up to 80 per cent off in its 'closing down' sale. However, customers have complained clothes advertised as 'cashmere' are in fact cheap knock-offs





Customers have also hit out at Thompson-Oxford.com for selling alleged knock-off cashmere clothes, in what shoppers have dubbed a 'scam'

Each claim to have been running 'for years' but were being 'forced' to shut up shop due to financial struggles - and that 'with a heavy heart' they were having a final 'closing down' sale with 'huge discounts'.



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Furious shoppers issue warning over Christmas 'scam' after being 'ripped off' by rogue fashion sites


However, checks reveal both firms set up their online shops just weeks ago, with Velora's going live at the end of September while Thompson Oxford - which claims to have been 'offering our customers the best service for more than 30 years' - going live last month.

Disappointed customers who claim to have spent hundreds of pounds on high-quality clothes advertised as 'cashmere' say when the garments arrive, they are 'cheap knock-offs' made of '95 per cent polyester' - and imported from China.

Fuming shoppers seeking a refund then say they have struggled to get their cash back, with neither websites posting full correspondence addresses.

One person allegedly scammed by the Velora spent £154 on five tops after spotting an advert on Instagram last month, including a 'large cashmere sweater', two 'cashmere turtle necks', a cardigan and a 'cozy sweater'. When they arrived, weeks later today, they were 'acrylic' and 'not cashmere... with no labels.

'I was very naive. I wanted to buy nice jumpers for Christmas presents,' the person told MailOnline. 'The problem is that you receive the order, but they send rubbish jumpers. I have sent two emails to the company to cancel order. No news.' 

MailOnline has approached both companies for comment.


 



Cadbury scam dupes victims with chance to win 'gift' 
A fake Cadbury giveaway is being exploited by scammers as social media users revealed they were being sent 'dodgy links'.

The scam works similarly to other WhatsApp scams where users will receive a message with a picture of a Cadbury chocolate selection, Which? report.

It also contains a link with a suspicious Russian URL that looks like the UK Cadbury website.




A fake Cadbury website with a suspicious Russian URL asks you to complete a quiz in order to win a giveaway





After you answer the questions, you are prompted to send the link to 20 friends and enter your personal address

The message will include your name and address to add an air of credibility, but if you click the link in the message you are then asked a series of questions as part of a 'quiz' to find the golden ticket to win 'an exclusive Christmas Chocolate Magic Basket'.



Read More

Cadbury issues warning over Christmas scam that dupes victims with chance to win a 'free gift'


After answering a series of questions, you can then win a prize box before you are prompted to send the link with five groups or 20 friends before you can claim your 'gift' and enter your delivery address.

A spokesperson from Cadbury said: 'We've been made aware of circulating posts on social media, claiming to offer consumers a free Christmas gift from Cadbury.

'We can confirm that this has not been generated by us and would urge consumers not to interact or share personal information through the post. Customer security is our priority and we're working with the relevant organisations to ensure this is resolved.'


 



Scam sites advertise £250 advent calendar for £30
Customers were warned against buying a high end beauty advent calendar which was advertised at an extremely low price on Instagram.

Beauty brand Space NK released its £250 advent calendar which sold out last month on the official website, but adverts on Instagram were then advertising the product at just £28.99. There was also a website promoting the item.

Space NK warned customers against falling for the adverts, and said it had been trying to get the adverts removed from Meta platforms.




Space NK's annual advent calendar has been highly sought after because it has a retail value of £1,200, but costs £250





A scam website has been advertising the calendar for just £28.98 - as well as running adverts on social media sites like Instagram. Customers are warned to steer clear of these offers

According to Sky News, one customer bought the item hoping it was mistakenly priced so affordably, and that the seller would honour the purchased.



Read More

Space NK warns customers against scam sites advertising its £250 advent calendar for £30


However, after realising it was a scam, they contacted their bank Monzo, and were refunded.

Space NK has been trying to have the scam website taken down, and in the meantime, warning customers not to be fooled by the impossibly low price point.

Speaking to Sky News, Jini Sanassy, head of public relations, said: 'Space NK has one trading website, website

'We implore customers to be cautious of websites or sellers offering similar products at unusually low prices. The website could have Space NK in some form in the URL so we recommend being vigilant.

'Our legal teams are aware of this, which has affected several retailers in recent months.'


 



Phone call from 'bank's fraud team' requesting a code
A former BBC journalist revealed how she felt 'pretty embarrassed' after falling for a telephone scam which left hackers emptying her bank accounts.

Abbie Dewhurst, from Leeds, said she had some suspicious activity on her account, which she flagged to her bank. After getting the money reimbursed, her cards were cancelled and new ones were sent to her address.

Ms Dewhurst said then said that got a phone call from who she thought was her bank's fraud team, but it was actually the fraudsters. She admitted that she was distracted because she was packing stuff into her car at the time.




Abbie Dewhurst, from Leeds, said she was 'pretty embarrassed' for handing over her personal information but wanted to tell her story to raise awareness of how commonly they occur

She said the hackers had lots of her personal information, which they stated to her on the phone in a bid to look trustworthy. The scammers even had Abbie confirm a recent spend on her account so that she 'passed security'.



Read More

Ex-BBC star Abbie Dewhurst reveals she fell for 'terrifying' telephone scam


Once she passed their non-existent measures, they told her that they'd been more attempts on her card and said that she had to reset her banking. The con artists then asked Ms Dewhurst for a code that she got from her real bank.

Ms Dewhurst handed over the code to crooks on the phone but she then saw the small print from her bank on the email, which said: 'Please note, we will never ask you for this number to be read over the phone' and immediately knew what she had done.

The presenter then hung up on the scammers and called her real bank to tell them what had happened, before also informing her partner.

'I could see ping, ping, ping, spends coming through on my account they transferred the money out of my ISA into my current account,' she said. 'They were spending on that, they were spending on our joint account. It was really stressful and terrifying.'

Ms Dewhurst said she thankfully was able to get assistance quickly and she transferred all of the money out of her other accounts to her husband's banks - but the con artists were still trying to spend her cash.

Her bank cancelled all of her cards and froze her online banking.


 



Scammers prey on customers seeking voucher codes
Foreign scammers have been deceiving bargain-seeking Britons to steal millions of pounds from big-name brands.

Research has found Selfridges, Currys, JD Sports and ASOS are among 41 firms to have fallen victim to fraudulent affiliate marketing schemes.

The clever scam sees scammers - largely based in China , Pakistan and Ukraine - prey on genuine customers seeking voucher codes through Google.




Scammers in Pakistan buy Google Ads to promote fake Currys discount vouchers





Fake voucher codes for Boden used to scam the brand out of affiliate marketing cash

Yet when the customer goes to click on a website seemingly offering them a discount, they are instead redirected to the retailer's own page.



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If they then end up buying goods from that link, the affiliate marketeer is paid a percentage of the sale as commission.

Marcode, a software firm dedicated to exposing online fraud, found 80 per cent of the UK's top 50 gift-selling brands were targeted by the schemes in the second half of 2024.

Andy Cooney, co-founder of Marcode, said: 'Many consumers will be surprised that they're unwittingly playing a part in scams targeting some of the biggest high street brands.

'Everyone loves to grab a bargain - and the rising cost of living has forced many people to look for ways to save money on their next purchase, especially in the run up to Christmas when loved ones expect a gift.

'Often this can lead to consumers falling victim to an online scam set up by an affiliate marketing fraudster through a fake voucher code site.'


 



Fake call from scammer spoofing phone number 
Former Love Island star Amy Hart revealed she fell victim to a nightmare phone scamming hoax which wiped £5,000 from her bank account in just minutes.

The 31-year-old explained that she was sitting in the garden when she received a phone call she chose not to answer and instead googled it to see who it was.

After it came up as her bank's fraud line and they called her back a second time, she assumed it was safe to answer.

The reality star told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'They must time it because it was literally within the time I went onto the search engine and typed it in, they phoned me back.




Amy Hart revealed on ITV's Good Morning Britain in November that she fell victim to a nightmare phone scamming hoax which wiped £5,000 from her bank account in just minutes

'I answered it but it was actually number spoofing so a scammer had managed to spoof the number so it is the right number but it's a different line.'



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I lost five grand in minutes after a nightmare phone scamming hoax warns Love Island's Amy Hart


Ms Hart continued: 'They knew lots of details about me and that's the thing with scammers they always pose as very reputable companies. They said there had been fraudulent activity on my account.

'I went onto my internet banking and checked and said there's not anything on there and they said no it's because we've stopped it.'

They used 'pressure tactics' and prompted her to type a text message reading 'YES' by reading out her recent transactions, one of which she had actually made.

Ms Hart explained that her husband Sam Rason decided to call up the bank to see if they were in fact on the phone to Ms Hart, to which they confirmed they were not.

She checked her bank account only to realise she had lost £5,000 within minutes - although she got her money back in the end.


 



Christmas party WhatsApp scam to take over phones
A mother warned others after she was nearly scammed by a man claiming to be a parent at her son's school to arrange a Christmas party.

Kasi Reid, from Coventry, said she almost fell victim to the scam when she received a voice call from the man on WhatsApp.




Kasi Reid, from Coventry, said she almost fell victim to a WhatsApp scam by a man claiming to be a parent at her son's school who wanted to arrange a Christmas party





Ms Reid believed it was calculated scam as he called her when he knew she would be on a school run saying that he was 'dependent' on her being 'distracted' and 'rushed' 

Following the call, he then sent her a code to join a group to plan a Christmas party but she realised that it would have transferred data between the two phones.



Read More

Mother warns of Christmas party WhatsApp scam that lets hackers take over victims' phones


'He would have had access to absolutely everything on my WhatsApp which was very scary,' Ms Reid told the BBC. 'I do everything through WhatsApp. All of my son's stuff is on there, lots of conversations with my mum… Everything is on [there].'

She hung up the phone on him when she started to become suspicious and figured out it all her personal information could have been given to him.

Ms Reid believed it was calculated scam as he called her when he knew she would be on a school run saying that he was 'dependent' on her being 'districted' and 'rushed'.

Consumer rights expert Martyn James said such scams were increasingly common and could have devastating consequences. He said all a scammer needs is an email address and a password.

'[They] will try to enter that into every bank account, every shop, every money service like PayPal,' he told the BBC. 'As soon as one door opens, [they] can then commit fraud.'


 



Your 'boss' asking you to buy Apple gift cards for them
A trainee solicitor almost fell victim to a scammer posing as his boss - who asked him for his mobile number and told him to go the Apple Store to buy gift cards.

The victim, Alex, said: 'He was texting me 'have you left yet', so I was hurrying out of the office and then he asked me to go to the Apple Store to get some gift cards.'

'He said he was doing a presentation next week and needed them to give out as prizes, so I asked how many he needed.'

But Alex didn't get as far as the Apple Store, adding: 'As soon as I got out of the office, alarm bells started ringing. The weird thing was that he didn't actually specify how many he wanted, he just said to tell him when I was there.'




A scammer posing as a trainee solicitor's boss told him to go the Apple Store to buy gift cards

'Initially, because of the shock of supposedly having been emailed by the big boss, the adrenaline was like 'oh God I had better do this'.'



Read More

I'm a trainee solicitor who almost fell for gift card ruse when a scammer impersonated my boss


He said: 'By the time I got outside and my brain had a second or two to actually catch up I thought 'actually, this is strange'. I've met this guy, and he's nice. I'm not sure he'd do something like that. Why is he asking me to get Apple gift cards? It's weird'

Alex his firm's managing partner on his work phone, but he didn't pick up and also did not respond to a message on Microsoft Teams. Alex was then told to block the number and report the email address it as a phishing email.

The scammer had targeted Alex because he was a new starter, allowing them to capitalise on him not questioning the email's external origin.

Graham Cluley, independent cybersecurity analyst, told This is Money: 'Gift card scams are highly prevalent.

'Typically you are contacted by someone claiming to be your boss or a relative, asking you to urgently purchase a gift card on their behalf, and share the gift card number with them.'


 



Fraudsters using AI to mimic children's voices
Fraudsters are using AI to mimic children's voices in a new phone cash scam targeting parents with fake cries for help.

Ministers are now warning families to develop secret 'codewords' or phrases to use in moments of distress so they won't be fooled by the calls and part with their money.

Home Office sources told The Mail On Sunday that just three seconds of speech from videos on TikTok, Instagram or other social media sites are all that is needed to generate a clone of someone's voice.




Fraudsters are using AI to mimic children's voices in a new phone cash scam (stock photo) 

The AI fraud is the latest incarnation of the 'Hi Mum' scam, which has been used to steal millions of pounds from unsuspecting parents in the UK in recent years.



Read More

Fraudsters using AI to mimic children's voices to steal millions of pounds from unsuspecting parents


In that scam, parents typically received a WhatsApp message from someone pretending to be their child in distress, saying they have lost their phone and need money sent to them urgently to help them to get a taxi home.

Now, thanks to AI technology, fraudsters - often based abroad -are leaving recorded messages or making calls that perfectly replicate the voice of someone's child.

It means a parent can get a call and hear their child's voice telling them they are in danger and urgently need money - and by using AI, the fraudsters can have a two-way chat with the parent.

Their 'cries for help' can range from their bank card and phone having been 'stolen', so they are with a friend who can withdraw money for them if the cash is transferred to that third party's account immediately.

Or they need to urgently pay, for example, their landlord or someone they have got into trouble with and is threatening them for the money.


 



'Shein mystery box' emails containing unknown links
Shein shoppers have been urged to look out for 'warning signs' when opening emails appearing to be from the Chinese retailer amid a recent surge in scams.

The budget retailer - which was founded in 2008 - has become a platform used by a number of scammers.

Marc Porcar, chief executive of QR Generator, said Shein shoppers should watch out for 'red flags' to stop themselves becoming victim of cunning online fraudsters.




Shein shoppers have been urged to look out for 'warning signs' in emails

Criminals have been sending customers emails with a 'Shein Mystery box' to cajole them into clicking onto unknown links.



Read More

Shein issues urgent warning to shoppers as scams set to surge


'If you receive an email with a 'Shein mystery box,' do not open it. It is a phishing email, not from Shein but from unidentified hackers looking to steal your personal information,' he told the Mirror.

A phishing email is a deceptive email designed to trick people into offering out their personal information or giving access to their cash.

Mr Porcar explained that the emails were 'designed to trick recipients into clicking on a link that redirects them to a fake website'. 

He added: 'This website mimics Shein's official website, allowing users to enter their personal information to win a prize.'


 



'Worrying' impersonation scam involving buying gold
A bank has been warning people to watch out for an impersonation scam involving buying gold and handing it over to criminals for 'safekeeping'.

HSBC UK has warned of a 'worrying trend' where scammers are targeting older and more vulnerable customers.



Read More

HSBC issues warning over new scam in which customers are tricked into handing over thousands


Fraudsters are asking people for help with fake police investigations which lead to the customer withdrawing cash, buying gold and handing it over to criminals under the pretence that it is for safekeeping and will be returned.

The scam can end up costing customers hundreds of thousands of pounds, the bank said.

It involves criminals posing as the bank, police or another trusted organisation, telling victims they need to protect their money and accounts from internal fraud, or that they need to help with a fraud investigation.

The victim is requested to purchase gold from a legitimate merchant and retailer.

They are then told to hand over the gold to the scammer, posing as a courier, who claims it will be used as evidence and transported for safekeeping.

Customers may be coached by criminals to lie to the bank and to answer questions in a certain way. They may be told to say the purchase is for an investment or a gift.


 



Clarkson's Farm meet-and-greet social media scam 
Jeremy Clarkson's Diddly Squat farm shop warned fans about fraudsters impersonating stars of Clarkson's Farm to trick fans into handing over money.

The imposters have been posing as show cast and farm staff on social media, before offering fans tours of the farm and meet-and-greets with the team.

But people handing over their cash have got nothing in return, according to The Sun.




Fraudsters have been impersonating stars of Clarkson's Farm on social media to trick fans into handing over money. A publicity photo from the Amazon Prime show is pictured above

The Diddly Squat account said: 'Avoid getting tangled in online scams!

'Unfortunately, we've recently heard about some individuals who have been tricked by scammers posing as our show cast and farm staff on the internet and social media.

'Please note: Diddly Squat does not offer farm tours or meet-and-greet sessions in exchange for money. Stay vigilant and don't let scammers take advantage of you!'