Financial Scams

Articles about fraudulent investment schemes and financial tricks targeting your money. Topics include fake stock tips, payment card fraud, and scams aimed at pensioners.

Authorised Push Payment Fraud and Your Refund Rights

Authorised push payment fraud, usually shortened to APP fraud, is one of the most common types of scam reported in the UK. It covers any situation where yo

Baby Boomer and Pensioner Scams

Scammers target retirees and older investors at seminars to push unsuitable products like high-penalty annuities.

Bank Charge Scam

Banks charge you £20+ for overdrafts that cost them £4.50 to process, and you might be able to claim that money back.

Bank Identification or BIN Numbers Scam

Scammers use publicly available bank identification numbers to impersonate your bank and trick you into revealing your full card details.

Card Skimming Fraud

Skimming criminals use fake card readers and hidden cameras at ATMs to steal your card details and PIN, then drain your account.

Cheque Scams

Cheques can be forged, stolen or drawn on empty accounts, here's how cheque fraud works and why it costs victims millions.

Cloned Investment Firm Scams: How to Check Before Investing

Cloned investment firm scams have become one of the most common ways people lose large sums of money in the UK. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has b

Credit Repair Scam

Scammers promise to erase bad credit instantly, but there's no legal shortcut—here's how to spot the con.

Cryptocurrency Recovery Scams: A Second Round of Fraud

Losing money to a cryptocurrency scam is bad enough on its own. What many people do not realise is that it often marks the start of a second round of fraud

Fake Tax Experts

Not all tax advice is equal—learn how to spot real experts versus those just sounding knowledgeable.

High Risk Investment Scams

Scammers use fake high-return investment schemes to steal your money, often targeting people seeking quick profits with minimal risk.

HM Revenue and Custom Scam

Scammers impersonate HMRC to trick you into revealing personal details with fake tax refund offers.

HMRC Data Loss Scandal

In 2007, HMRC lost discs holding personal details of 25 million people, exposing major gaps in how the UK government handles sensitive data.

HMRC Self Assessment: Phishing Scam

Criminals are impersonating HMRC with fake emails to steal your banking details under the guise of a tax refund.

Losing It All at the ATM

How scammers use simple tricks and distraction tactics to steal your cash and card at ATMs.

Matrix Scam

Matrix scams promise free iPods and TVs if you recruit enough people, but the math makes it nearly impossible to actually get anything.

Office of Government Commerce Scam

Scammers pose as the Office of Government Commerce to trick businesses into revealing bank details and financial information.

Offshore Investment Scam

Scammers lure investors with promises of high offshore returns and tax breaks, then pocket the money while sending fake statements.

Pig Butchering Scams: The Slow-Build Crypto Romance Fraud

Pig butchering is one of the online frauds causing the largest individual losses in the UK. The name, translated from a Chinese phrase used by the criminal

Prime Bank Guarantee Scam

How the prime bank guarantee scam works and why it's cost investors millions by promising unrealistic returns.

Property Scam

Property investment scams exploit get-rich-quick dreams by selling fake courses and worthless land deals that leave investors broke.

Psychic Scam

Fake psychics prey on people's fears about the future with threatening letters and false promises that vanish once they get your money.

Pyramid Schemes

Pyramid schemes are common internet scams that promise quick money through recruitment, but differ from legal MLM because they lack real products or customers.

Quiz Show Fraud

Quiz shows have been plagued by fraud since they first aired, from producers coaching contestants to cheaters gaming the system for millions.

Scams and Seniors

Older adults are prime targets for scams, here's how to spot common tricks and protect yourself from being ripped off.

Stock Tip Scams: Pump and Dump

How pump and dump scams work and why they target small stocks with little public information.

The Boiler Room Scam: Bogus Stocks and Shares

How boiler room scams trick people into buying worthless shares and how to spot the warning signs before losing money.

The Church Con

How con artists exploit trust within religious communities to steal from fellow worshippers.

The 'Protected Trademarks' Scam

Scammers are sending fake invoices to UK trademark applicants claiming to register your business details—here's how to spot and avoid them.