New mobile phone scam could cost you over £1k – what to look out for

Fake cost of living payment texts

Although cost of living payments are due to be directly applied to energy bill accounts, criminals are sending texts, claiming to be from Ofgem, and requesting people to apply for their £400 rebate.

Mr Baxter said: “Victims would do so by clicking on a link, entering their bank details and potentially losing the contents of their bank balance.”

The real rebate is being paid directly to energy suppliers by the Government and can only be accessed as a reduction to people’s energy bills over a six-month period.

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Facebook Marketplace scammers charging drivers up to £1,500

Those looking to cut vehicle costs could be looking for a bargain on social media. However, Mr Baxter warns drivers to be vigilant as car scammers offering vehicles at too-good-to-be-true prices would pressure motorists to send deposit money to “hold the car” before buying.

Mr Baxter said: “In some cases, the car will either not exist or not be legitimately for sale. After you’ve paid the holding fee, which could be up to £1,500, the ad would disappear resulting in a loss of money.”

Royal Mail scams that could cost you £300

Scammers are also posing as delivery companies and requesting additional delivery payments. If expecting a delivery, many Britons are more likely to fall for a seemingly innocent text message from Amazon or Royal Mail.

In fact, according to a new survey carried out by Reboot Digital into the most common types of online and text scams revealed, Royal Mail scams ranked third.

One victim told The Guardian how she was expecting an import charge. After clicking the link in the text from the delivery company and completing the form, 300 was taken from her bank account.