On the phone

Unknown number · +1 ••• ••• ••07

Caller: Hello, good afternoon, this is technical support. Your computer has been sending us error reports for days — it's infected with viruses. Are you at your computer now?

What do you do?

• ✓ Hang up. – Exactly. No genuine company calls you out of the blue because your computer is reporting errors. Your computer doesn't send virus reports to strangers.
• → Ask how they know. – Asking is fine — but the answer will sound convincing.
• ✗ Switch the computer on so he can help. – That's exactly what scammers want: next you'll be asked to install a program that lets them control your computer.

Caller: We can see it in our security system. I'll help you for free: please go to remote-session-start.test and download the support tool. Then I'll remove the viruses for you.

And now?

• ✓ Hang up and install nothing. – Right. The “support tool” would give the scammers remote access to your computer — to your files and your online banking.
• ✗ Install the tool — it's free after all. – That would put strangers in control of your computer. If it has happened: disconnect the device from the internet straight away and open the emergency plan.
• ✗ Ask for a number to call back, to be sure. – That number belongs to the scammers — calling it proves nothing. The only thing that helps here: hang up.

A trap: so-called tech support. Genuine companies, banks and the police never call asking for remote control of your computer. Never let someone who called you out of the blue gain remote access.

Kestrelmoor Bank · 0800 ••• ••• 24

Caller: Hello, this is the fraud team at Kestrelmoor Bank. We've spotted a suspicious payment from your account: £2,400 going abroad. Did you make it?

Your phone shows “Kestrelmoor Bank”. What do you do?

• ✓ Hang up and call Kestrelmoor yourself — on the number on the back of your card, or on 159. – Exactly. Caller ID isn't proof of identity: scammers can make a call look as if it comes from your bank. 159 connects you safely to your own bank.
• → “No, that wasn't me!” – Understandable — but the question is bait: it's meant to scare you so that you do what the caller says next.
• ✗ Give your account number and date of birth so they can identify you. – Knowing your details proves nothing either way. Don't give out information on a call you didn't expect.

Caller: Don't worry. To protect your money, we need to move it to a safe account straight away. I'll give you the account details now.

The caller reads out a sort code and account number and asks you to transfer your savings now.

What do you do?

• ✓ Transfer nothing. Hang up and call 159 — from a different phone, or after waiting five minutes. – Right. There is no “safe account” — it belongs to the criminals. Scammers can keep a landline connected, so use another phone or wait before you call.
• ✗ Transfer the money — the bank knows best. – That's the heart of the scam. Your bank will never ask you to move money to keep it safe.
• ✗ Read out the one-time passcode that has just arrived by text. – A caller asking for a one-time passcode is a warning sign of phone fraud. It belongs to nobody on the phone — not even your bank.

A trap: bank impersonation. The name on your screen proved nothing. Your bank never asks for your PIN or a one-time passcode on the phone and never asks you to move money to a “safe account”. When in doubt: stop, hang up, call 159.

GP surgery · 01••• ••• 230

Caller: Good morning, this is your GP surgery. The doctor is on a training course on Thursday. Could we move your appointment to Friday at ten?

The number is saved in your phone. What do you do?

• ✓ Agree the new appointment — as usual. – Exactly. You know the surgery, the reason fits your appointment, and nobody wants money, details or hurry. Not every call is a trap.
• ✓ Politely hang up and call the surgery back on the number in your appointment letter. – Also fine — calling back on a number you know is never wrong. It just wasn't needed here.
• ✗ Hang up at once and block the number. – Caution is never wrong — but there was no reason here: a surgery you know, a fitting reason, no demands. And you'd have missed your new appointment.

Genuine. An ordinary call: you know the surgery, it's about your appointment, and nobody asks for money, details or codes. When in doubt, call back on a number you know.

Unknown

Caller: Good evening, this is the police, fraud squad. We've arrested two people with cloned bank cards — and one of them is a copy of yours.

What do you do?

• ✓ Hang up. If you're worried, call 101 yourself — from a different phone, or after waiting five minutes. – Exactly. Scammers can keep a landline connected after you hang up, so use another phone or wait. Then you reach the real police.
• → Ask for their name and badge number. – Asking is fine. But scammers have an answer for everything — even names and badge numbers.
• ✗ Tell them which cards you have and how much cash is at home. – That's exactly the information scammers want. On the phone, say nothing about money or valuables.

Caller: Detective Sergeant, badge number 2381. We need your help: someone at your bank is involved. Withdraw £5,000 and hand it to our courier, who will come round this evening. Don't tell the bank why — that would put the investigation at risk.

And now?

• ✓ Hang up and call 101 yourself — from a different phone. – Right. Your bank or the police will never come to your home to collect money or your card. Being told to keep it from your bank is a clear sign of fraud.
• ✗ Go to the bank and withdraw the money — it's the police, after all. – That's the heart of the scam. The real police never collect your money.
• ✗ Promise not to tell anyone. – Secrecy is the lever. That's exactly when to tell someone — your family, your bank, the real police.

A trap: courier fraud. The police and your bank never send a courier to collect cash or cards, and never ask you to keep it from your bank. Hanging up is never rude.

Unknown number · +44 7700 ••• 529

Caller: Mum? Mum, it's me … I've had an accident, I hit someone with the car … The police are here, I can only talk for a minute …

The voice sounds exactly like Emma.

What do you do?

• ✓ Hang up and call Emma yourself — on her saved number. – Exactly. On her saved number you reach the real Emma — not the scammers. Usually that's the end of it.
• → Ask for your family's safe phrase. – Good question — now it all depends on the answer.
• ✗ Ask how much money is needed. – Then you're right in the middle of the scam. First check it really is Emma — on her own number.

Caller: Mum, please, there's no time for that! There's a police officer here, he'll explain.

Caller: Good afternoon, police. Your daughter will be kept in custody unless you pay £8,000 today. A courier can collect the money from you.

No safe phrase. What do you do?

• ✓ Hang up and call Emma on her saved number — if you can't reach her, call 101. – Right. No safe phrase, time pressure, cash for a courier: that's a scam. The police will never come to your home to collect money.
• ✗ Get the money together — Emma needs help now. – That's exactly what the shock is for. First check whether it's Emma at all — on her own number.
• ✗ Stay on the line so you don't lose the connection. – Scammers keep you on the phone so you can't call anyone. Hanging up is allowed — and here it's the most important thing.

A trap: a shock call. The voice sounded like Emma — criminals use AI to copy the voice of someone you know. So a voice is not proof. A safe phrase agreed in advance and a call back on her saved number are. By the way: the voices in this exercise are synthetic, too.

Unknown number · +44 20 •••• ••12

A recorded voice says:

Caller: This is a message from the tax office. A lawsuit is being filed against you. To speak to an officer, press 1.

What do you do?

• ✓ Hang up without pressing anything. – Exactly. HMRC warns about this very kind of automated call. Pressing 1 puts you through to scammers who then demand payment or your details.
• ✗ Press 1 to clear up the misunderstanding. – Then a so-called officer comes on the line — and demands a “fine” or your details.
• ✗ Call the number back to ask. – Never call back the number on your screen — it can be faked. If you're unsure, look up the official number yourself.

A trap: a recorded call in the name of an authority. A lawsuit or arrest isn't announced by an automated call, and no authority wants money or details at the press of a button. Hanging up is enough.