‘Wise up’ to fraudsters

Police officers have teamed up with a pair of suspicious-looking characters to raise awareness about fraud. [27 August 2010]

Wise up campaign - Jim and BertJim and Bert are the faces of a new campaign to educate people about the tricks fraudsters use to steal money from unsuspecting victims. The ‘Wise Up!’ campaign is using a mix of street theatre and comedy to bring the message of fraud to life.

Together with City of London Police – the lead force on fraud for the UK – Jim and Bert will be seen on City streets raising awareness and handing out fraud prevention advice.

Tips on safeguarding yourself against real life fraudsters:

• don't stay silent. If you have been targeted by a fraudster and lost money, report it to Action Fraud
• remember - if you haven't entered a competition, you won't have won a prize
• never send money to strangers
• never give out personal details or financial information to strangers
• never return a call to strangers or unfamiliar phone numbers
• if someone is legitimate they won't pressure you and they won't mind you checking them out
• look out for bad spelling and grammar they are often a sign of a fraudulent organisation
• ask questions. If someone is elusive about answering, break off contact
• don't commit straight away - talk to someone you trust first
• remember websites can be faked too, and someone may claim to work for a well-known company. Always check the real company's details against the ones you have been given, and ring them direct if you are in doubt.

Read more about the ‘Wise Up!’ campaign on the City of London Police website. 

Please note: Action Fraud is not responsible for the content on external websites.

To report a fraud, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use our online fraud reporting tool.

See also:
Our top ten fraud prevention tips
A to Z of fraud
Action Fraud warns about holiday scams