Scams: Don’t Get Caught Out This Christmas

👋 Ay-up neighbours!

As we approach the festive season, it’s more important than ever to be vigilant about scams. Fraudsters often use this time of year to exploit people’s generosity, excitement and goodwill.

We’ve recently received reports of various scams, including fake People’s Postcode Lottery scratch-card Advent calendar offers and telephone number spoofing — where scammers make their calls appear to come from someone you know or trust.

Our advice is simple: treat any unexpected request for money or personal information as suspicious until you’ve independently confirmed it’s genuine.

Scams come in all shapes and sizes: emails, text messages, WhatsApp, social media, phone calls, letters, online adverts and even unexpected visitors at your front door. Just because a message, name or phone number looks familiar doesn’t mean it’s genuine.

Important: A Warning About Our Own Group

If anyone contacts you unexpectedly claiming to represent Sherwood Dales Neighbourhood Watch and Community Group and asks for money, please don’t give them anything until you’ve independently confirmed that you’re genuinely dealing with Rob or Steve.

Even if your phone displays one of our numbers, it could have been spoofed. Hang up and contact us using details you already trust, or through our official website at sherwooddales.org.uk.

How to Protect Yourself

• Stop and think. Be suspicious of unexpected requests, especially if you’re being pressured to act quickly.
• Check independently. Contact the person or organisation using details you’ve found yourself, rather than those in the suspicious message.
• Use a trusted scam checker. Ask Silver is a free UK service that can check suspicious messages, screenshots, phone numbers and websites. For an additional website check, try Get Safe Online. Remove personal details before uploading anything, and remember that no checker can guarantee something is safe.
• Protect your money and information. Never disclose passwords, PINs or one-time security codes, or send money without verifying the request.
• Report suspicious activity. Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk, texts to 7726, and report fraud at Report Fraud. If you’ve lost money, contact your bank immediately.

Remember: a genuine caller, particularly one asking for money, should have no objection to you taking the time to verify who they are.

If in doubt, don’t act until you’re sure.

🦆 Tarrah for now, mi ducks!

Rob and Steve – Co-Chairs

P.S. Please share details of any scams you’ve spotted (and avoided!) in the comments below. Your experience could help others avoid the same traps!