Beware of fraud

 

 

 

   Criminals operate sophisticated scams that can catch out even the most savvy consumers.

   But, there's a simple way to protect yourself from fraud. This starts with taking five and

   remembering a simple memorable phrase ‘My money? My info? I don’t think so’. If you’re

   unsure, don’t give out your details, click on a link or give anyone your money, or access to it.

   

   More information on preventing fraud can be found here.

 

 

 

Spotting common scams

 

Requests to move money

A genuine bank or organisation will never contact you out of the blue to ask for your PIN, full password or to move money to another account. Only give out your personal or financial details to use a service that you have given your consent to, that you trust and that you are expecting to be contacted by.

Clicking on dodgy links in emails or texts

Don't be tricked into giving fraudsters access to your personal or financial details. Never automatically click on a link in an unexpected email or text.

Personal information

Always question uninvited approaches in case it is a scam. Instead of responding, contact the company directly using a known email or phone number.

Rental fraud

Rental fraud is when a person who wants to rent a property is tricked into paying money upfront for accommodation that doesn’t actually exist. Scammers advertise false properties on well-known social media and free advert websites. They pressure you for money in advance to secure a property.

 

To protect yourself against this type of fraud, we recommend:

  • Searching for student accommodation with Liverpool Student Homes. This will ensure that you are choosing genuine properties that have been accredited.
  • You should always research accommodation providers thoroughly.
  • Go in person to view the property, before handing over any money.
  • Be sure to ask for a tenancy agreement.
  • Be wary of being pressured into giving money upfront.

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An example of rental fraud:​

 

A large number of students were targeted using a city-wide WeChat group, by a third party that was promoting a rent payment service where students were offered a discount on their rent, for using the service. The students were asked to transfer the rental payment, minus the discount, to the third party, who in turn paid the full amount of rent on behalf of the students, by credit card. A receipt was provided to the students. Some weeks later, the third party claims a charge back on the credit card payment, which is then reversed by the credit card provider. This payment then returns to being unpaid on the students' accounts.