Beware of scam subscriptions

Unauthorised subscriptions are one of the most common complaints reported to our scam sharer tool. Victims often assume they’re giving their card details to legitimate companies, but later find they’re paying money to unrecognised recipients every month.

Which? senior researcher, Chiara Cavaglieri, recently helped someone recover their money after they'd been unwittingly paying £40 a month to an unknown company. Find out how she convinced NatWest to reimburse the victim, plus five things you need to know if you spot a dodgy recurring payment.

Steer clear of 'scamscriptions'

 

Source: Which? (09 Apr 2025)

Latest scams doing the rounds

Stay in the know about recent scams that are targeting people across the UK.

The latest warnings to be aware of include a surge in Whatsapp scams, dodgy Facebook posts and a fake Screwfix email. Take a look at the full list based on your reports to our Which? Scam Action Alerts Facebook community and to our scam-sharer tool.

See the trending scams

 

Source: Which? (10 Apr 2025)

What are 'phishing', 'smishing' and 'vishing' scams?

While the names of these scams sound complicated, phishing, smishing and vishing scams are simply messages and calls sent by fraudsters to target you for your personal and financial information.

Nine in 10 people say they’re confident they can spot a scam email or text, but according to recent research, one in six people in the UK have experienced a phishing scam. Find out how to recognise this type of scam to avoid falling victim.

Get clued up with some examples 

Source: Which? (07 Apr 2025)

House fire - Welling🔥

Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters responded to a fire on Eastcote Road, Welling. 

The fire was located in a mid-terraced house of two floors. Part of the ground floor was damaged during the incident, and an external pergola was destroyed by the fire. There are no reports of any injuries.

The Brigade received the first of 20 calls reporting the fire at 2103, and Control Officers mobilised crews from Plumstead, Eltham and East Greenwich fire stations to the scene. Firefighters had the incident under control by 2208. 

The fire is believed to have been accidental, caused by the unsafe disposal of smoking materials. 

Five essential safety tips for smokers

1. It's safer to smoke outside, but make sure cigarettes are put right out and disposed of properly.
2. Never throw cigarette butts from a balcony, they could start a fire elsewhere.
3. Never smoke in bed, and avoid smoking on arm chairs and sofas – especially if you think you might fall asleep.
4. Use deep, heavy ashtrays which can’t tip over. Add a small drop of water to the ashtray and stub cigarettes out properly.
5. Don’t leave lit pipes or cigarettes unattended, or sat on the edge of an ashtray – they can tip and fall as they burn away.

 Source: LFB (28 Mar 2025)

Hackers are targeting Microsoft users

Microsoft account holders are receiving dozens of emails containing 'single-use codes', triggered by login attempts to their accounts.

This is most likely the result of a brute force attack, where hackers attempt to access accounts by trying multiple passwords. Find out what to do if you receive single-use codes you didn't request, and how to secure your accounts.

Secure your accounts now

 

Source: Which? (02 Apr 2025)

How to spot a WhatsApp scam

WhatsApp allows users to message friends and family all over the world for free, but these features are sometimes exploited by scammers. In fact, fraud on the app accounted for 21% of all reported scams in the UK in 2024 according to recent data analysed by Revolut.

If you haven't done so already, add an extra layer of security to your WhatsApp by setting up two-step verification. Check out our step-by-step instructions on how to do so, and take a look at the top six most common scams on the app.

What to watch out for

 

Source: Which? (01 Apr 2025)

Amazon 'iPhone in your basket' scam warning

Amazon customers continue to be targeted by phone scammers who claim that iPhones or other expensive items have been added to their shopping baskets.

Reports of this scam continue to come through on our scam sharer tool – take a look at the latest tactics being used and find out how you can secure a hacked Amazon account.

See how this scam works

 

Source: Which? (03 Apr 2025)