Definition: Fraud is when trickery is used to gain a dishonest advantage, which is often financial, over another person.
Data: According to the statistic 65% of victims are businesses, and 35% are individuals.
We thank our Solicitor, Amelia LEUNG who did this talk voluntarily for the benefit of our community members by giving us practical tips to detect fraud and scam.
Types of fraud:
- Impersonation Scam (Authorities, eg. Embassy, HMRC)
- Online Platform
- Investment
- Cyber
- Bank Account
- Bank Cards, Credit Cards
Amelia also shared with us the following which are practical and useful tips:
- Do not trust strangers met online
- Do not pay cash for online transactions
- Check bank statements for irregular transaction
- Scammers will pretend to be the tax officer/Council and ask us to pay immediately during the call. At this time, we must be vigilant and don’t pay immediately. Hang up and check the official contact number and call to clarify the whole situation before making any payment.
- The links sent to us through texts or letters can be risky, double check with the official website, even one letter difference in the link could land you in a scam.
- The call from the bank or government will not ask for your personal details to verify your ID, therefore do not disclose your personal details to the caller.
- Our tenants can steal our personal information from the house. It is recommended to do a Reference Check to know the background of potential tenants.
- AI scams are becoming prevalent, scammers steal photos of our images to impersonate us.
- Check SRA ( Solicitors Regulation Authority ) for a solicitor background check, making sure its license is not revoked.
- Log on to Company House Advance Check for a company background & financial check.
We call on everyone to care more about their families and remind each other that scams are designed to attack the weaknesses of human nature, including love, kindness, fear, and anxiety, etc. In all situations, remain calm. If a request is money related, please speak with some others you trust, if you are told not to disclose the matter to anyone, that is a Scam Alert!
Remedies:
- Pay by credit card (there is still a chance to stop the payment or get back the money when possible)
- Inform the bank to stop the remittance
- Report to the police as soon as possible
- Report to a regulatory body
If you missed this session, please book the following Legal Talk sessions:
1. Various Visas Application:
- Family Reunion Visa
- Renewal & Settled Status Application
- Skilled Workers Visa
- Refugees (mainly on Change of Name)
2. Estate Property Transfer
