Ahead of King Charles III’s Coronation this weekend, scammers have been attempting to take advantage of consumers looking to buy memorabilia online. The cybersecurity provider Kaspersky and Hertfordshire Police have issued warnings about dodgy websites, phishing emails and cold callers trying to take advantage of shoppers who want to buy a souvenir to mark the historic royal event. To encourage Islanders to be vigilant, we’re sharing this article from the Which? consumer news website.

Islanders are being warned about the latest attempt to scam money out of people, which involves them receiving a text or WhatsApp message from a loved one or friend claiming they've smashed or damaged their phone. The scammers then claim that they have a new phone and need some money as they also can no longer access their digital bank cards stored in their phone's wallet. Islanders in both Jersey and Guernsey have already lost thousands in recent weeks. Jersey Consumer Council Chairman Carl Walker said: "The golden rule with anything these days is if in doubt, check it out, especially if you've been contacted out of the blue by an individual or organisation. Call them back on their usual number and see if they have sent you a message before even replying to the initial message." Islanders are also being warned about paying deposits online for things like pets and rental properties. "Scammers are becoming more and more elaborate in their methods and now advertise things for sale or rent on local Facebook pages and, after building a relationship with those who show an interest, begin asking for deposits before viewing, ‘due to demand’," said Mr Walker. "Obviously there are genuine people out there, but if you ever need to pay a deposit or pay for something online, you should always try to use a credit card or PayPal, as both contain strong consumer protection against scammers and allow you to recover your money. If someone you haven’t yet met is demanding a bank transfer, alarm bells should start ringing." Islanders concerned about scams should call 612612 and report it immediately to the Fraud Prevention team at the States of Jersey Police, or visit fraudprevention.je.

It's Valentine's Day, and love is all around. But if you're currently single and looking to meet 'the one', be aware that, when it comes to online dating, not everyone is as nice as they may appear.  If you've watched The Tinder Swindler on Netflix, then you'll know that online scammers sometimes take advantage of people looking for love online. Catfishing – the act of setting up a false personal profile on a social networking site for fraudulent or deceptive purposes – is a common ploy they use. They then pretend to be romantically attracted to a victim by building up trust and then use manipulative and gaslighting tactics to demand money.   Many of us might be convinced that we could never fall for this type of scam but, sadly, it happens all too often, and victims are often scammed out of thousands of pounds.   Have you received an unexpected Facebook friend request?  In this digital age, scammers frequently use social media to target individuals, often using bogus photos and stories to lure them in. Examples include Facebook friend requests or messages from someone claiming to be a highly qualified professional, such as a lawyer, doctor, neurosurgeon, soldier, or even charity worker. The fraudulent Facebook profile will show photos of the scammer in exotic locations, or helping others, but these photos have usually been copied from the internet and are not the person they claim to be. A reverse image search will often find where the image has been taken from. From examples seen by the Jersey Consumer Council, profile names can often be a double Christian name such as David James, Paul Henry, or Mark Frances, although we’ve also seen examples that aren’t, such as one from a James Henderson.   False promises  These scams are often conducted over a long period of time, building up the victim's trust.   The scammer will often ‘live’ in a different country, explaining this is the reason they’re unable to visit, but promising to do so as soon as they can. They may promise lavish gifts and even offer to marry the victim, sending photos of the engagement ring they’ve apparently purchased.     Don’t be guilt-tripped into sending money Though many people won’t even meet their scammer, they will frequently be willing to transfer them vast amounts of money in the hope of a relationship. In fact, Islanders have lost hundreds of thousands of pounds in the last few years. Once the trust is built, the scammer will ask for cash, often making the victim feel guilty if they don’t send the money. It may start with relatively small requests, such as to: help pay for a hospital bill  pay for a child’s education  donate to a church fund  buy an iPhone or iPad to help keep in touch  pay for phone calls to keep in contact with you  pay for a ticket to visit you. Then the bigger payment requests start, and this is where many victims lose thousands of pounds. The scammer may request:  money to put down a deposit on a house for you both  money to help them pay a large building or legal invoice that, if unpaid, could mean they’ll be jailed.   How to protect yourself from falling victim to a romance scam Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person.   Remain sceptical and, if any warning signs appear, try to remove emotion from your decision, even if your ‘partner’ appears sincere.  Don’t feel guilty for refusing to make a payment and if they insist, stop all contact – they’re scamming you.  Don’t give out personal information, especially account details.  Do a reverse image search of your admirer’s photos. Often these romance scammers will steal other people’s photos, so these may be featured on a legitimate person’s social media. Go to Google and search ‘How to reverse image search’.  Watch out for inconsistencies in their story and grammar.  Be cautious about what photos or information you share with the person. They may use compromising photos or information as blackmailing material.  If you arrange to meet them in person, inform friends and family of where you are going.     Remember, anyone of any age, gender or sexuality is a target for these scams: If you’ve fallen victim to romance fraud or catfishing, report it to the States of Jersey Police straight away on 612612.  For more information, go to the Jersey Fraud Prevention website.

As the weather gets colder and the nights get longer, the idea of a New Year holiday in the sun becomes more and more appealing. But if the idea of a free holiday sounds appealing, please be aware that any invitations to a British Airways giveaway that are currently doing the rounds are not legitimate. The ‘British Airways Black Friday giveaway’, which Islanders have been sharing on social media and in local WhatsApp groups, is in fact a scam. British Airways have commented: “We are aware of a fraudulent promotion that is being shared via WhatsApp and social media, which has been reported. This message is not from British Airways and we advise anyone who receives it not to click any links and to report it as spam or delete it.” The Online Threat Alerts website reports that the ‘British Airways Black Friday giveaway’ promotion in fact contains a link that goes to a phishing website called shortlinks.su. They explain: “The website uses the ".su" top-level domain, which was designated for the Soviet Union (USSR). “The shortlinks.su website will attempt to trick visitors into completing surveys that steals personal information and may go to other phishing websites thats steals financial information. Therefore, if you were tricked into disclosing your financial information by the British Airways scam, please contact your bank for help.”

During the weekend of 11 September, the Revolut card system was hacked putting over 50,000 account holders' data at risk. Although affected account holders will be/have been advised, there is still a risk to other Revolut users. It is extremely important to keep vigilant as it’s likely cybercriminals will increase phishing attempts in the wake of this attack. Be alert for texts and emails that may contain malicious links. Scammers may pose as Revolut fraud staff to trick customers into divulging security details.   We're sharing Which? UK's article for you to read the full details.  

Be on your guard for scams, particularly on WhatsApp.   We're aware of a couple of scam competitions, where fraudsters are imitating companies such as Heineken and B&Q.   Please remember not to click on any links if you don't know where they have come from.