Scams and fraud
Find out how to avoid the latest scams targeting your money.
Postal scams are getting more sophisticated and it can be difficult to spot the difference between scam mail, junk mail and offers from legitimate companies.
Postal scams are sent in the mail. They can be addressed to you directly, and even use your name. They contain fake claims or offers that are designed to con you out of your money.
Here are common types of postal scams to be aware of:
You may receive a letter congratulating you on winning a cash prize. These often look legitimate, with barcodes or ID numbers. The letter might ask you to pay an administration fee, buy a product or call a premium-rate phone number to claim your winnings. Don’t respond to these letters, even if they look genuine. A genuine lottery won’t ever ask you to pay a fee to collect your winnings.
If you get a bill from a provider and you're not sure if you have an account with them, find the company's contact details in the phone book or online and ask them directly.
Psychics and clairvoyants may send a letter claiming to have seen something in your future and asking for money to disclose what it is. Sometimes these scammers will co-ordinate with lottery and prize scams to give the impression that they're predicting a bit of good luck.
Pyramid investment schemes will ask you to pay a fee or buy products and recruit friends or family to take part in the scheme before you get a return on your investment.
With these types of stories, the fraudster may claim to have lost all of their money in unfortunate circumstances or that they need to pay for an operation, and will ask you for money. But these stories are fake.
You may receive a letter addressed to you, which tells you that someone has left you money in their will. These letters can mention real law firms and even have seemingly genuine email addresses, postal addresses, or websites.
You may receive a request to help transfer money out of another country in return for a substantial reward. Often the letter will appear to be from a Government official or lawyer.
These usually involve an offer of work to do at home if you first send a registration fee. You may even receive an offer of an interview over the telephone. Legitimate employment agencies won't charge you a registration fee.
If you receive a postal scam, there are things you can do to avoid the scammers getting your money:
If you've received a postal scam, there's support available:
Find out more about what support is available if you've been scammed
We offer support through our free advice line on 0800 678 1602. Lines are open 8am-7pm, 365 days a year. We also have specialist advisers at over 120 local Age UKs.
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