Too good to be true

Romance scams

Romance scammers can be found on social media or dating websites and will try to develop a romantic relationship with you. Once they’ve gained your trust, they might ask for money or help paying bills or rent.

How to protect yourself

Watch out for warning signs like declarations of love after a short period of time. They might also request money for travel costs so they can come and visit you, or to pay for medical treatment for sick relatives, or general requests for cash that become more frequent over time. You can check their other social media accounts to see if they appear real, and try a reverse image search on their profile picture (TinEye or reverse.photos) to see if they are who they say they are.

What to do

Trust your instincts. If you meet someone online and they ask for money, don’t send any, give them your bank details or let them send money to you. They might not be who they say they are.

If you think you’ve been scammed, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 and the dating website administrators.

Find out more about how to stay safe from romance scams on the Action Fraud website or download the Thames Valley Police Romance Fraud PDF guide.

Holiday scams

Fraudsters are reliant on you being so eager to book a holiday that you’ll pay less attention when it comes to spending your money. They’ll create listings on websites for accommodation they don’t own, offer fraudulent tickets for flights that don’t exist and take money for excursions that aren’t real. These scams are especially common for caravan holidays in the UK.

How to protect yourself

When you book tickets and accommodation through a website or social media, check that the web address is exactly as you’d expect it to be and that a padlock symbol appears before the ‘https’ or ‘www’ in your web browser. Use a credit card where you can to make payments and never pay directly into an individual’s bank account. Companies that have an ABTA or ATOL logo are regulated, so should be reliable. Check the ABTA Member Search page (for ABTA) or the CAA Website (for ATOL) to see if they’re a member. You can also check for reviews on sites like Tripadvisor or Google Maps to see if people have used them before.

Watch out for emails, cold calls and social media messages from criminals pretending to be holiday companies offering a refund. They can steal your information by asking you to click on links or enter your bank details to claim the repayment.

What to do

Trust your instincts. If you think you’ve lost some of your Skipton savings to a scammer, get in touch with us. Alternatively, you can report holiday scams to the police by calling the Action Fraud line on 0300 123 2040.

Doorstep crime

Doorstep crime usually starts with an unexpected visit from a tradesperson who claims to have spotted a problem on your home that needs fixing. They might say they’ve done work for your neighbours, offer a significant discount in return for a cash payment, or mention government schemes or grants.

How to protect yourself

Be cautious about people who knock on your door offering any type of service, especially if they say they only take cash payments and try to pressure you into making a decision on the spot.

What to do

Call the police straight away if you think you’re the victim of a doorstep scam. You can also report crimes to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or your local Trading Standards.