Scams Awareness is an annual campaign aiming to:

• Give people skills to identify scams
• Encourage people to share their experiences
• Help people gain the confidence to report scams

Recognising a scam

It might be a scam if:

• it seems too good to be true – for example, a holiday that’s much cheaper than you’d expect
• someone you don’t know contacts you unexpectedly
• you suspect you’re not dealing with a real company – for example, if there’s no postal address
• you’ve been asked to transfer money quickly
• you’ve been asked to pay in an unusual way – for example, by iTunes vouchers or through a transfer service like MoneyGram or Western Union
• you’ve been asked to give away personal information like passwords or PINs
• you haven’t had written confirmation of what’s been agreed

If you think you’ve paid too much for something

Paying more for something than you think it’s worth isn’t the same as being scammed. Usually, a scam will involve theft or fraud.

You have other rights if you think you’ve overpaid.

If you think you’ve spotted a scam

If you’ve given away money or information because of a scam, there are things you should do. Check what to do if you’ve been scammed.

If you haven’t been scammed but you’ve seen something you think is a scam, you should report it. Find out how to report a scam.

If you think someone is calling to trick you into giving them money or your personal details, hang up and call 159. This is a secure service that connects you directly with your bank.

Calls to 159 are usually charged at the national rate – it depends on your provider.

Check if your bank uses 159 on the Stop Scams UK website.

Protecting yourself online

There are things you can do to protect yourself from being scammed online.

Check the signs of fake online shops

You can search for a company’s details on GOV.UK. This will tell you if they’re a registered company or not.

If you’re buying something on a site you haven’t used before, spend a few minutes checking it – start by finding its terms and conditions. The company’s address should have a street name, not just a post office box.

Check to see what people have said about the company. It’s worth looking for reviews on different websites – don’t rely on reviews the company has put on its own website.

Also, don’t rely on seeing a padlock in the address bar of your browser – this doesn’t guarantee you’re buying from a real company.

Don’t click on or download anything you don’t trust

Don’t click on or download anything you don’t trust – for example, if you get an email from a company with a strange email address. Doing this could infect your computer with a virus.

Make sure your antivirus software is up to date to give you more protection.

Be careful about giving personal information away

Some scammers try to get your personal information – for example, the name of your primary school or your National Insurance number. They can use this information to hack your accounts. If you come across sites that ask for this type of information without an obvious reason, check they’re legitimate.

Check if your details have been shared online

Sometimes your log-in details can be made publicly available when a website is hacked. This means that someone could use your details in a scam. Check whether your accounts have been put at risk on Have I Been Pwned.

Make your online accounts secure

Make sure you have a strong password for your email accounts that you don’t use anywhere else. If you’re worried about remembering lots of different passwords, you can use a password manager.

Some websites let you add a second step when you log in to your account – this is known as ‘two-factor authentication’. This makes it harder for scammers to access your accounts.

Find out how to set up two-factor authentication across services like Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Outlook and iTunes on the on the National Cyber Security Centre website.

Pay by debit or credit card

Pay by card to get extra protection if things go wrong. Read our advice on getting your money back after you’ve been scammed.

Know how your bank operates

Check your bank’s website to see how your bank will and won’t communicate with you. For example, find out what type of security questions they’ll ask if they phone you.

Find out about recent scams

To find out about scams across the country, you can sign up to the Trading Standards email alert on their website. Trading Standards can investigate and take court action against scammers.

If you want to know about scams in your local area, sign up for email alerts on Action Fraud’s website.

You can also find out about common financial scams on the Financial Conduct Authority’s website.

What can people do?

• Stop and get advice. Contact Citizens Advice online at citizensadvice.org.uk/scamsadvice or on 0808 223 1133 (0808 223 1144 for Welsh language).
• Report scams to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or @actionfrauduk on Twitter.
• Talk with friends, family and neighbours about scams they’ve experienced.

 

Useful Links

Campaign page for stakeholders/campaigners

Our advice pages

Action Fraud

Friends Against Scams 

Financial Conduct Authority scams pages

The Pensions Regulator scams pages

Get Safe Online

Cyber Aware

Consumer Friend

Citizens Advice Harrow will be CLOSED on WEDNESDAY 24 MAY 2023, due to staff training.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Cost of Living Crisis Prevention Project – funded by the Greater London Authority

Citizens Advice have a new project to assist people who are struggling with bills, during the cost-of-living crisis. The aim is to give advice to people to prevent financial difficulties becoming a crisis.

 

Our Crisis Prevention Adviser can help to MAXIMISE INCOME:

• Help to apply for benefits where eligible
• Look at options for dealing with debt
• Apply for grants to help with essential items or high energy bills, if suitable
• Check clients have received the correct cost of living payments help from the government
• Apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment if struggling to pay rent or have rent arrears and in receipt of help with housing costs currently.
• Advise on ways of reducing outgoings, where possible
• We can refer to a caseworker for further help with benefits or debt issues or Harrow Law Centre for further specialist benefits advice.

 

To refer a client, make a direct referral to us:

https://www.citizensadviceharrow.org.uk/email/make-a-referral/

 

 Training for you and your colleagues: ADVICE FIRST AID training

To teach you how to spot urgent issues and emergencies and where they could signpost or refer people to. The Advice First Aid training would be over 2 full days from February – dates can be arranged – and is free of charge.

For more information please email an enquiry to:  adminsupport@citizensadviceharrow.org.uk

  

SUPPORTED BY  

Last year Harrow Council ran a scheme during the winter months to prevent homelessness, by supporting residents in rent arrears in the private rented sector and those trying to secure accommodation in the private rented sector. This winter Harrow Council have again received extra government funding, as a top up to the Homeless Prevention Grant. Councils have the flexibility to target the additional financial support at those who need it most – this may include helping households at risk of eviction pay off their rent arrears or supporting families struggling to secure a home with their deposits.

 

Harrow Council will be assisting residents who either self-refer or are referred by a local partner organisation, based on their individual circumstances. Applications should be made using the dedicated webform. The scheme ends in March 2023.

 

The webform is now live at www.harrow.gov.uk/winterfund. 

Shop wisely this sale season and avoid getting less than you bargained for with top tips from Citizens Advice Harrow.

With Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the holiday season fast approaching, Citizens Advice Harrow has released top tips to remind bargain-hunters how to shop safely online.

Citizens Advice Harrow’s top tips for shopping wisely:

1. Do your research: Before buying from a site you haven’t used before, spend a few minutes checking it out. See what people have said about the person or company you’re buying from by looking at reviews on different websites – don’t rely on reviews the company has put on its own website. If you’re worried that something you’ve seen online might be a scam, you can get help from the Citizens Advice consumer helpline.

2. Be wise to scams in disguise: If a bargain seems too good to be true, it probably is. If it’s branded but a lot cheaper than it appears on the brand’s website, it could be fake. It could be a legitimate ‘look-a-like’ product. Either way, it might not be the quality you were hoping for

3. Ways to pay: Beware of a seller who asks you to pay by direct bank transfer. Bank transfers have limited protection if things go wrong, so avoid using them. You should only send and receive money through the online marketplace app or website using a debit or credit card, or via trusted methods of payment such as PayPal

4. Know your rights: If you’ve bought from a retailer you might be entitled to a replacement product or a repair of your faulty goods. You can even claim a full refund if you can prove the goods are faulty. If you’ve bought from an individual, perhaps via an online marketplace, you have far fewer rights. In fact, you have no right to return, so long as the goods are ‘as described’. Always be sure to take a screenshot of the description, and be sure to check and double check before you buy

5. When things go wrong: Sometimes things just don’t go to plan. If you’ve bought something that is broken, damaged, unsafe or not what you expected then contact the seller and give them a chance to put it right. If that doesn’t work – reach out to the Citizens Advice consumer helpline.

Tajinder Nijjar, Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Advice Harrow, said: “Across Harrow purse strings are tightening and financial pressures are increasing every day. With sales season fast approaching, it’s vital we recognise the red flags when trying to bag a bargain in the run up to the holidays.”

“Anyone can be a victim of a scam, and even the savviest of shoppers can be left getting less than they bargained for. You shouldn’t feel embarrassed if you’re caught out. By knowing how to shop wisely, and what to do if something goes wrong, we can better protect ourselves and each other.”

For information and advice, contact Citizens Advice Harrow on 0808 250 5705.

Notice to our clients

Citizens Advice Harrow will be closed from Monday 26th December 2022 until Monday 2 January 2023 (Inclusive) 

 

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY PLEASE CALL:

Harrow Council’s Social Services:

Monday-Friday 9am-5pm     020 8901 2680

Out of Hours   020 8424 0999

Domestic Violence

Free phone 24/7   0808 2000 247

 

Reporting homelessness  020 8424 1093

Email:   housing.advice@harrow.gov.uk

Homeless Enquiry Form: www.harrow.gov.uk

Rough sleepers – Streetlink (24/7)    0300 5000 914

 

Served eviction notice       www.harrow.gov.uk

 

Harrow Food Bank   020 8416 7344

Holy Trinity Church Wealdstone HA3 5QX: Normal Day (Tues/Fri)

South Harrow Baptist Church HA2 8EB: Normal Day (Mon)

Rayners Lane Baptist Church HA2 7HW: Normal Day (Sat)

Kenton Methodist Church HA3 0XF: Normal Day (Wed)

 

Harrow Warm Hubs      https://harrowgiving.org.uk/warmhubs/

 

Help to Claim National number   0800 328 5644

Citizens Advice Help to Claim  0800 144 8444