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Services offering support to those affected by fraud |
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The impact of Fraud and scams on the public cannot be understated. Everyone can be a victim of fraud at some point in their lives but with the move to an online world, the opportunities for criminals to take advantage are enormous. When someone falls prey to an unscrupulous seller or someone purporting to be from a bank or other important establishment it can feel isolating and embarrassing.
Fraud costs us all a great deal in time, money and personal hardship.
There is a huge wealth of support out there to help us all to make informed choices or to seek support in the event that we are unfortunate enough be a victim of societies prolific parasites; criminals that make no distinction between our most vulnerable and those that experience a momentary lapse in attention.
Financial Conduct Authority U K fraud prevention service Cifas offers Protective Registration to people who have been victims of, or are at risk of, identity theft. This service flags your personal file so that when Cifas member companies receive an application in your name, they’ll conduct extra checks to ensure the application is genuine –
Cyber Helpline The Cyber Helpline provide free advice and support to individuals in the U K aged 13 or over, and sole traders, on how to recover from cyber security attacks. They provide chatbot and volunteer services as well as a number of guides – https: //www.thecyberhelpline.com/
The Financial Conduct Authority’s aim is to make financial markets work well so that consumers get a fair deal. They regulate the conduct of thousands of companies within the financial sector including some of those related to digital assets. They also operate an investment and pensions fraud warnings list of companies to avoid and a reporting tool for unauthorised firms. They can be contacted via their website; www.fca.org.uk or by calling 0800 111 6768. Their Firm Checker tool can be accessed on their website at www.fca.org.uk/consumers/fca-firm- checker
Financial Ombudsman Service Financial Service Compensation Scheme (F S C S ) The F S C S protects the customers of financial services firms which have failed. They provide free compensation claims advice through an online claims service to individuals who are eligible under the F S C S compensation rules – www.fscs.org.uk
Have I been pwned? “Have I Been Pwned?” is a free website for businesses and individuals to check to see if an email address has been involved in any data breaches. By typing in an email address, you can see if and when it was involved, and where that breach occurred. This can help people see if their email or password has been made public, and to ensure passwords are changed –
National Crime Agency (N C A ) The N C A leads the U K law enforcement’s fight to cut serious and organised crime. Their website contains information regarding current crime threats and online safety guidance for businesses – www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk
No More Ransom The “No More Ransom” website is an initiative by the National High Tech Crime Unit of the Netherlands Police; Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre and private cyber security companies. Its goal is helping victims of ransomware retrieve their encrypted data, without having to pay the criminals. Since it’s much easier to avoid the threat than to fight against it once the system is affected, the project also aims to educate users about how ransomware works and what countermeasures can be taken to effectively prevent infection. It can be accessed via www.nomoreransom.org
National Trading Standards are responsible for gathering important intelligence to combat doorstep traders and tackle a number of priorities including eCrimes, internet fraud, and doorstep crime. To report a matter to your local Trading Standards Service contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133 or visit www.nationaltradingstandards.uk
Citizens Advice Citizens Advice provides free, confidential and independent advice to help people overcome their problems. They can help with many issues, from money concerns to problems at work, housing to consumer rights. Call 03444 111444 or visit
U K Finance is the trade association representing the banking and finance industry operating in the U K . It represents more than 250 firms in the U K providing credit, banking, markets and payment related services. Their website contains a wealth of information on how you can protect yourself and your business from fraud and cybercrime. They can be contacted via www.ukfinance.org.uk
Victim Support Victim Support are an independent charity dedicated to supporting victims of crime in England and Wales. They offer free and confidential advice for victims of crime and you can also create a free account on My Support Space which is an online resource containing interactive guides to help you manage the impact crime has had on you. You can request support via their online form, their free 24/7 live chat service or by calling their free Supportline on 0808 1689 111 – https: //www.victimsupport.org.uk/
Age U K Age U K is the country’s largest charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life. They offer companionship, advice and support to older people who need it most. Call 0800 169 8787 or visit their website at
Companies House You can obtain details about a company for free online, including: • Company information, e.g. registered address and date of incorporation • Current and resigned officers • Previous company names Insolvency information Visit www.gov.uk/government/ organisations/companies-house
Mail Preference Service This is a free service enabling U K consumers to stop receiving unsolicited mail by having their home addresses removed from mailing lists. It is actively supported by Royal Mail, trade associations and the Information Commissioner’s Office. To register for the Mail Preference Service call 020 7291 3310 or visit www.mpsonline.org.uk
Royal Mail Opt Out Service Opting out from advertising mail stops all unaddressed items from being delivered by the Royal Mail to your address. Opting out means no one at the address will receive unaddressed mail items via Royal Mail deliveries. Print a copy of an opt-out form. Complete and sign it, then send it to the address of the form. The form can be accessed via https://help.royalmail.com/ personal/s/article/How-to-opt-out-of advertising-mail
Telephone Preference Service (T P S ) T P S is a central opt out register allowing individuals to register their wish not to receive unsolicited sales and marketing telephone calls. It is a legal requirement that companies do not make such calls to numbers registered on the T P S . To register call 0345 070 0707 or visit
Hopefully some of these sites and organisations can be of help and please remember that if you are the victim of fraud, please report this to police via https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/
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