Thursday, 12 February 2026

Which? latest scam warnings

Which? dedicated team of fraud experts are always on the lookout for scams targeting people across the UK.

Recent tactics to be aware of include a fake Daily Mail website, a dodgy message circulating on WhatsApp and fraudsters posing as Which? on social media. Check out the full list, based on your reports to our Which? Scam Action Alerts Facebook community and scam sharer tool.


Source: Which? (11 Feb 2026)

5 signs of a romance scam

Report Fraud received 12,093 reports of dating scams in the past 13 months, with losses totalling £119.6m. This type of fraud, where scammers aim to trick people into fake relationships, can have a huge emotional and financial impact.

Our experts have laid out five signs of a romance scammer, including how to spot stolen images online and the tactics these fraudsters use to build a connection with potential victims.


Source: Which? (12 Feb 2026)

How to avoid AI scams

An AI scam uses artificial intelligence to trick you into parting with your money. Deepfake videos, where a person has been digitally altered to appear as a different person, and AI-generated text are just two ways this technology can be used by fraudsters.

Essentially, AI makes scams more convincing and harder to spot, so make sure you're familiar with these new methods and stay one step ahead of the scammers.


Source: Which? (10 Feb 2026)

Monday, 9 February 2026

Bexley Crime stats ward summary Jan 2026

Source: Bexley Watch Viz

Friday, 6 February 2026

Warning: The 'Cloud Data Deletion' Scam Hitting UK Inboxes


Have you recently received an urgent email claiming your "Cloud+" membership has ended and your photos are at "immediate risk of deletion"? Before you rush to update your payment details, take a deep breath.

It is a total scam.

Cybercriminals are currently sending out highly polished emails designed to look like official correspondence from Apple or other cloud providers. Their goal? To steal your banking information.

How to Spot This Scam

Even though the email looks professional at first glance, there are several "red flags" that give it away:

  • The 'From' Address is Wrong: In the screenshots above, the sender's email is a random address (.emudas@bestquotedirect.com). Official emails from Apple or Google will always come from their verified domains (e.g., @apple.com or @google.com).

  • Artificial Urgency: Scammers want you to panic. They use phrases like "immediate risk" and give you a deadline of "tonight at 11:59 PM." Real companies give you a grace period of weeks, not hours, if a payment fails.

  • Vague Greeting: Notice the email says "Dear user" instead of your actual name. Most legitimate services you pay for will address you by the name on your account.

  • Dodgy Footer Information: If you look at the bottom of the email, it lists a random company address ("Design Studio Fabrics" in the US). This has nothing to do with cloud storage!

What Should You Do?

  1. Do NOT click the link: The "Update Payment" button will lead to a fake website designed to harvest your card details.

  2. Check the official app: If you are worried, go directly to your phone's Settings or the official website of your provider. Check your subscription status there.

  3. Report it: In the UK, you can forward suspicious emails to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) at report@phishing.gov.uk.

  4. Delete and Block: Once you’ve reported it, delete the email and block the sender.

"I've already clicked and entered my details—now what?"

If you have already entered your details into the link, you must act fast:

  • Contact your bank immediately. Tell them you have been the victim of a phishing scam. They can freeze your card and protect your account.

  • Change your passwords. If the scam site asked for your login details, change your password for that service (and any other accounts that use the same password) right away.

Stay safe online—if an email feels like it's trying to scare you into acting, it's usually because it's a scam.

Thursday, 5 February 2026

Amazon product recall scam

A sneaky text message scam claims to be from Amazon and provides a refund link for a product that has been recalled.

We examined a version of this message and found that the link directs you to a live website that's a convincing copy of Amazon's official page. Discover what this scam looks like and how you can avoid it.

Source: Which? (04 Feb 2026) 

Beware new voice cloning phone scams

National Trading Standards has identified a worrying new scam. It starts with a cold call, where a fraudster asks you to participate in a non-existent 'lifestyle survey', created to gather your personal details.

While you answer the questions, this information is used to create an AI-generated replica of your voice (voice cloning), which can be used to set up direct debits without you knowing. Find out more about this new scam and how you can protect yourself.

Source: Which? (05 Feb 2026) 

https://bexleywatch.blogspot.com/2026/01/stay-connected-join-bexley-borough.html

Which? latest scam warnings

Which? dedicated team of fraud experts are always on the lookout for scams targeting people across the UK. Recent tactics to be aware of inc...