A recent news item on the BBC News website reports that an increasing number of scammers are using landline phone calls to con people out of money, after a crackdown on bogus emails and mobile phone texts.
HM Revenue and Customs reported a 360% increase in phone scams in the six months to January 2019, with 60,000 reports received compared to the previous six months.
It said conmen are posing as Tax Officials, threatening legal action or jail.
HMRC said it had worked with Ofcom to shut down nearly 450 lines being used by scammers in the past year.
Nearly 26 million homes have a landline phone, according to Ofcom, meaning they could be at risk from these type of scams.
The Financial Conduct Authority has a website dedicated to education and reporting of financial scams. There is a short Scamsmart quiz that tests your ability to pick out the scammer – worth a go if you think you are scam savvy, as you may be surprised!
You can read the full BBC News article here
