Falkirk shoppers urged to ‘Take Five’ this Black Friday
Police Scotland Forth Valley has urged Falkirk residents to ‘Take Five’ this Black Friday and throughout the festive season.
Officers have posted on social media to remind shoppers to ‘Take Five to Stop Fraud’ and warn them to be vigilant against online scams that could involve missed deliveries.
Potential scams include fake text messages from a company, urging you to pay a small resend fee for a missed delivery. By creating a false sense of urgency, potential scammers can pressure consumers into clicking on a link.
Authorities have advised against clicking on any links sent by SMS or email, and suggested logging into your account directly to check the progress of a parcel.
Some of the banking giants backing the Take Five charter include Bank of Scotland, Monzo, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander and HSBC.
A leading consumer group has warned people to be aware of a fake Lloyds Bank email scam, a WhatsApp takeover scam and a British Gas phishing scam that claims users can withdraw an outstanding balance.
Police Scotland Forth Valley has advised anyone who receives an unexpected message, call, email or request for money or personal information to stop and think before they act.
Ask yourself whether the request could be fake, and do not let anyone rush you into making a payment, clicking a link or sharing details.
Whether the request comes from someone at the door, on the phone or in an email, taking a moment to stop and think before handing over money or private information could help protect your finances in the run-up to Christmas.
For more info visit the Police Scotland Forth Valley Facebook page.