Urgent: Phone Charging Fire Safety 🔥

A recent fire in Bexley was caused by a mobile phone left charging on a sofa overnight. The family was lucky to escape, but the damage was severe.

Never charge your phone on soft furnishings.

Learn more about fire safety and the #ChargeSafe campaign: https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/lithium-batteries/

 

Batteries and charges, their safety and use (LFB).

#firesafety #chargesafe #phonefire #safetyfirst #beprepared

By sharing this information, you can help prevent similar tragedies from happening.

Protecting Yourself from Street Scams

Here are some tips to help you stay safe:

General Precautions

• Trust your instincts: If something feels off, it probably is. Don't hesitate to walk away.
• Be aware of your surroundings: Pay attention to people and activities around you.
• Protect your belongings: Keep your wallet, phone, and other valuables secure. Avoid displaying flashy items.
• Be cautious with personal information: Avoid sharing personal details with strangers.

Specific Prevention Tips

• Avoid eye contact: Scammers often target people who make eye contact.
• Be wary of distractions: If someone tries to distract you, it's likely a setup.
• Verify charities: If you want to donate, research the charity independently.
• Use ATMs wisely: Shield your PIN, avoid using ATMs in isolated areas, and be aware of your surroundings.
• Be cautious with taxi drivers: Ensure the meter is working and avoid accepting rides from unofficial ranks.

What to Do if You're Targeted

• Stay calm: Don't panic.
• Be assertive: Politely decline any offers or requests.
• Create a scene: If you feel threatened, make noise to attract attention.
• Report the incident: Contact the local authorities if you've been a victim.

Remember, prevention is key. By being aware of common scams and taking precautions, you can significantly reduce your risk of falling victim.

Common Street Scams

Here are some other common street scams to watch out for:

Distraction Scams

• The Three-Card Monte: A classic scam involving shuffling cards and betting on which card is the correct one. It's almost always rigged.
• The Spilled Substance: Someone might accidentally spill something on you, then apologise profusely while their accomplice steals your belongings.
• The Fake Accident: A staged accident can be used to distract you while pickpockets target your valuables.

Confidence Tricks

• The Fake Charity: Scammers posing as charity workers may ask for donations, but the money never reaches the intended cause.
• The Friendship Scam: Someone may strike up a conversation and offer to buy you a drink, only to disappear with your belongings.
• The Overpayment Scam: You might be offered more than the asking price for an item, but the payment is counterfeit or stolen.

Other Common Scams

• The Broken Meter Scam: Taxi drivers might claim their meter is broken and overcharge you.
• The Fake Police Officer: Someone posing as a police officer may ask to see your identification or money.
• The Watch Scam: A stranger might offer to sell you a luxury watch at a bargain price, but it's likely a fake.

Remember: If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Trust your instincts and be cautious when interacting with strangers on the street.

Clipboard Scam: A Quick Overview

A clipboard scam is a common street scam where individuals approach people with a clipboard, often pretending to collect signatures for a petition or survey.

Here's how it typically works:

• The approach: The scammers, often appearing as a group, will ask for your signature on a petition, claiming to support a good cause.
• The distraction: While you're distracted with the petition, an accomplice may attempt to pickpocket you or distract you for another scam.
• The reveal: In some cases, after signing the petition, you're presented with a demand for money, claiming you owe them a fee.

Key points to remember:

• Be wary of unsolicited requests: Avoid signing petitions or providing personal information to strangers on the street.
• Protect your belongings: Keep your wallet, phone, and other valuables secure, especially in crowded areas.
• Be assertive: If you feel uncomfortable, politely decline and walk away.

Top 10 scam calls plaguing the UK

In the past six months, there were more than 3.4m searches for phone contract scams on the website Who Called Me - a site that helps you establish the identity of callers by searching suspicious phone numbers.

Data collected by Who Called Me and shared with Which? has revealed the top 10 scam calls searched, with people in London and South East England carrying out the most searches. What are the most-searched types of scam calls? Find out here, plus advice on avoiding phone scams.

Plagued by scam calls

Source: Which? (24 Jul 2024)

Global IT outage scams

The National Cyber Security Centre – part of the UK’s intelligence & cyber agency – has warned of an increase in phishing attempts that reference the global IT outage.

Opportunistic scammers typically take advantage of big events, such as the global IT outage, to con victims. Make sure you’re clued up on how to spot the scam with our expert guide.

Spot scams guide

Source: Which?

Protect your phone from scams

It's not always easy to spot a phone scam. For example, fraudsters can spoof phone numbers so it appears that you're genuinely being called by your bank or a government department.

Follow Which? top tips to stay safe from scammers who target you over the phone.

Stop phone scams

Source: Which? (24 Jul 2024)