Am I being scammed? How to tell if you’ve been targeted

This guide shows you how to recognise the warning signs and what to do if you think you’ve been targeted.

A scam is any attempt to trick you into handing over money, personal information or access to your accounts. Fraudsters use all kinds of tactics – and even the most careful people can be caught out.

You may have experienced:

• unexpected contact by phone, text, email or social media
• someone urging you to act quickly or keep things secret
• requests for payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency or bank transfer
• offers that look “too good to be true”
• pressure to confirm personal or banking details
• messages claiming your account has been compromised
• a company you trust suddenly asking you to move money
• notifications suggesting your information has been hacked.

If any of these sound familiar, it’s possible you’ve been targeted by a scam, or someone has attempted to scam you.

Scammers rely on surprise, urgency and confusion to get people to act before thinking. The important thing is to take steps now to protect yourself and limit the impact.

If you’re unsure, the Citizens Advice scam checkerOpens in a new window is a quick way to find out whether something could be a scam.

Feeling unsure or embarrassed is completely normal. If you have been a victim of a scam, it’s important to act quickly, as fraudsters sometimes try to target people again with follow-up scams.

If you think you’ve been scammed, it is important to act quickly to help limit the damage. Start with these urgent steps:

1. Contact your bank or card provider immediately using their official phone number. You can also call 159, which will connect you directly to your bank’s fraud team. This is especially important if you’ve lost money, as your bank may be able to stop or recover the payment.
2. Stop any further payments straight away. If money has been taken by Direct Debit or bank transfer, get in touch with your bank as soon as possible to stop any further transactions.
3. If you’ve been targeted, even if you’re not a victim of it, report the scam to Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or using the Report Fraud online reporting toolOpens in a new window In Scotland, you should report the scam to Police Scotland on 101 or Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060.
4. Watch out for follow-up scams. Fraudsters sometimes target victims again, often claiming they can help recover lost money. No legitimate organisation will contact you in this way.
5. Check your credit report regularly. Look for applications or activity you don’t recognise. You may also want to consider Cifas Protective RegistrationOpens in a new window This tells lenders you've been a victim of fraud, so they'll make extra checks to make sure any new application for credit is genuine.

If you want help with your immediate situation, including what actions to take and who can support you as a victim of a scam, call our financial crimes and scams unit on  0800 015 4402. They can also signpost you to trusted organisations who may be able to help if you’ve lost money. 

Not every scam involves losing money or bank details, and the exact steps you need to take will depend on the type of scam you’ve experienced.

See our full guide on different types of scams and what to do next.

If you’ve bought something from a company that has since gone out of business and you’re worried about getting your money back, visit the Which? consumer rights page for clear guidance on what to do nextOpens in a new window

Knowing what to look out for is one of the best ways to protect yourself. Scams can happen through phone calls, texts, emails, social media messages, websites or even doorstep visits.

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a police officer, your bank or another official body saying there’s a problem with your account, treat it as suspicious. Fraudsters often use this tactic to create panic and pressure you into transferring money, sharing PINs or handing over cards.

Genuine police officers or banks will never ask you to:

•  transfer money
•  move funds to a “safe account”
•  share your PIN
•  give access to your bank account.

Cold calls about pensions are banned, so you shouldn’t be contacted about them unless you’ve asked to be. The government has also announced plans to ban all financial cold calls, but this isn’t in place yet, so stay cautious around any unexpected contact about financial products.

Be careful if someone comes to your home claiming to be a police officer, bank investigator, council worker or utility employee. Criminals sometimes pose as trusted officials to gain access to your money or personal information.

Some may pretend to investigate fraud and ask for your bank cards or cash “for checking”, or even instruct you to put them in an envelope to be collected by a courier or taxi. No genuine organisation will ever contact you in this way or request money, bank details or PINs at your door.

Scam emails can look convincing. If you get one, expand the sender details to check who it’s really from. It might appear to be from TV Licensing or a delivery company, but the email address may reveal:

•  a mismatched sender name
•  misspellings
•  random numbers
•  a spoofed or hacked address.

If anything looks unusual, don’t click links or open attachments.

Scammers can make text messages appear as though they’ve come from trusted organisations – sometimes even appearing in the same conversation thread as genuine messages. This is known as “number spoofing”.

If you’re unsure, don’t click any links. Contact the company directly using details from their website or previous correspondence to check whether the message is genuine.

Some scams happen online. Cybercrime involves fraud carried out using technology and is often linked to wider organised crime. Fraudsters use advanced tools to make their scams more convincing, so it’s important to keep your online accounts secure.

To check whether an investment opportunity might be a scam, check the FCA’s guidance on protecting yourselfOpens in a new window

If you’re contacted about your pensions, check our guide on How to spot a pension scam.

Fraudsters use adverts, direct messages or fake profiles to lure people into investment scams, giveaways, crypto schemes or impersonation scams – including the well-known WhatsApp “mum and dad” scam.

Scam websites can look professional and often copy logos from well-known organisations. These can include online retailers, dating sites, gambling pages and fake banking pages designed to capture your details.

You can check whether a website is genuine using:

• Get Safe Online (Check a website)Opens in a new window
• Companies HouseOpens in a new window
  

If money has disappeared from your account unexpectedly, even a small amount, it may be a sign that someone has gained access to your details.

• Be suspicious of high-pressure tactics
• Don’t trust offers that seem “too good to be true”
• Be cautious of any request to act urgently or secretly.

Protecting yourself from scams involves a mix of staying alert, using secure technology and knowing where to get reliable advice. Start with the steps that feel manageable and keep building your defences over time.

Be aware: some scams are now generated using AI and may not contain spelling or grammar mistakes. A message that looks professional can still be a scam.

• Avoid answering calls, messages or emails from unfamiliar numbers or addresses.
• If someone contacts you claiming to be from a company you use, don’t rely on the number they give you. Use the contact details on official documents or on the company’s website.

• Never share full PINs, passwords or passcodes. No legitimate organisation will ever ask for these.
• If your bank needs to check something, they may ask for a few characters from your password, never the full thing.
• Be wary of anyone asking you to confirm accounts, personal details or security codes out of the blue.

• Keep your operating system, apps and antivirus software up to date – updates often include important security fixes.
• Use strong, unique passwords for each account. Don’t reuse passwords.
• Avoid public Wi-Fi for anything sensitive. Your mobile network is often safer.
• Make sure websites you use are secure (look for HTTPS in the web address).
• Consider using a password manager to help keep everything secure.

• Don’t make payments until you’re sure the company is legitimate.
• For financial services, check the FCA Firm Checker for authorised firmsOpens in a new window and the FCA warnings list for cloned or fake companiesOpens in a new window
  
• For other businesses, look them up on Companies HouseOpens in a new window and search online for reviews or complaints.

Never transfer money to a “safe” or “holding” account, this is a well-known scam.

Scammers can hijack phone lines. If someone asks you to move money to a “safe” or “holding” account, hang up the phone, wait five minutes, and then call your bank back using a trusted number from their website or the back of your card.

Use the guidance on Take Five to learn how to stop fraud and spot suspicious behaviourOpens in a new window

• Use strong device security and install reputable antivirus or anti-malware tools.
• Keep an eye on unusual account activity or missing money.
• Use two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible.

Sign up for the Telephone Preference Service (TPS)Opens in a new window to reduce cold calls. It won’t block criminal calls – but it makes it easier to identify unexpected or suspicious ones.