This is a general education guide, not a recent incident report. It has no invented publication date.
01How it commonly works
Callers or messages claim to be from the police, tax authority, an embassy, a well-known company or a family member in trouble. They create fear or urgency to get payments or personal details.
02Warning signs
- Threats of arrest, fines or deportation
- Demands for payment by gift card, crypto or transfer
- A family member writing from a new number
- Being told to keep the call secret
03Immediate protective actions
- 1End the call and contact the organisation through official details
- 2Call the family member on their known number
- 3Contact your bank if you paid
- 4Warn people close to you
Prevention tips
- Independently contact the organization or person through a known channel.
- Do not trust caller ID, logos or verification badges alone.
- Never provide passwords, one-time codes or remote access to an unsolicited contact.
04Evidence to preserve
- Numbers, names and badge numbers given
- Messages and voicemails
- Payment records
- Notes of the call
05Relevant reporting agencies
Report to the police and national fraud agency, and to the organisation that was impersonated.
Use the maintained reporting directory below. No separate source-verification date is claimed for this general guide.
Official channels for
6
When to seek qualified legal advice
Legal advice is usually needed only if your identity was used in other transactions.