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Aaron Carrier, Director of Infrastructure & Cyber Security at Fairstone
It is a sad fact that fraudsters are becoming increasingly convincing.
They may impersonate your bank, financial adviser, the police, a government department or even someone you know.
Telephone numbers, email addresses and websites can also be manipulated to appear genuine.
Criminals often create urgency, fear or excitement to persuade people to act without stopping to check.
Following a few simple precautions can help protect your money and personal information.
Be cautious if someone:
Fraudsters may know information about you and can appear professional and knowledgeable.
Familiar branding, personal details or the number shown on your telephone are not proof that a communication is genuine.
Before sharing information, making a payment or approving a request:
Stop: Take a moment to think. Do not allow anyone to rush or pressure you.
Challenge: Ask yourself whether the request could be fraudulent. It is acceptable to end a call, reject a request or ignore a message. A genuine organisation will understand if you want time to verify its identity.
Check: Contact the organisation independently, using a telephone number or website you already know to be genuine. Do not rely on contact details, links or telephone numbers provided in the communication.
When considering a financial product or investment, check the firm and its contact details using the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Firm Checker.
Remember that criminals may impersonate genuine authorised firms, so make sure the contact details match those shown by the FCA.
Speak to your financial adviser or someone you trust before making an unexpected or significant financial decision.
You can take some straightforward steps to protect yourself from scams:
If you receive a communication claiming to be from Fairstone and are unsure, always contact us directly using the details on our website or official documents or contact your usual adviser using details you have previously used.
Alternatively, you can contact Fairstone’s Head Office on 0191 519 6000 or email info@fairstone.co.uk
Do not use contact details supplied in a communication you are unsure about.
You can find further information on our scam-awareness page and read our current clone-firm alert.
Act quickly. Contact your bank or payment provider immediately using a trusted number.
If you have lost money or disclosed sensitive information, report the incident through Report Fraud or call 0300 123 2040.
You should also change any affected passwords and continue monitoring your accounts.
Whenever you receive a communication – whether email, text, phone call or social media message – remember to:
Taking just a few minutes to verify a request could prevent financial loss.
For further information, please contact:
Aaron Carrier, Director of Infrastructure & Cyber Security at Fairstone
For further information, please contact:
Aaron Carrier, Director of Infrastructure & Cyber Security at Fairstone