A frequent topic in news feeds right now is the effects of fraud and cyber crime on businesses and individuals. Scammers prey on the fast pace of life, hoping their victims will be too busy to question or interrogate emails, phone numbers and information requests.
Being vigilant
PCCs have a responsibility to be vigilant of fraud and cyber crime, and have checks in place to manage the risk they present. However, the whole church community would benefit from being aware and knowing what to do if they suspect fraud or think they have been scammed.
Resources from Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank have developed free resources to help spot and avoid scams, including digital skills to manage the risk of cyber crime.
Scam calls— tips on how to spot scam calls and how to deal with them
Your staff & fraud— tips on how to train staff about fraud prevention
Cyber risk— includes videos and articles on how to manage cyber risks as a business (applicable to charities)
Digital skills training courses— online learning hub for businesses and individuals, free to all. Includes training videos on recognising fraud and a helpful A to Z of scams
Latest scam call guidance for Lloyds Banking customers
Fraudsters claiming to be from the bank are targeting businesses and organisations of all sizes with significant numbers of scam phone calls. The caller will purport to be from the bank and claim that a suspicious payment, or a problem with your account has been identified. They often call from a number which looks to be the same as the Lloyds Bank number, but this is actually a ghosted number (another one in disguise). Sometimes they provide a fake phone number to call back, where the recorded greeting is a copy of our genuine greeting message.
Their aim is to convince you to visit a fake online banking website that looks like the Lloyds website, to obtain your online banking details. They can use the fake website to trick you into downloading remote access software to your device, which then allows them to view any passwords or secure payment codes entered.
Remember banks will never call you to:
- Ask for your online banking user details, passwords, or a card reader code
- Tell you to visit a specific website to enter your online details, download any support software, or reject a fraudulent payment
- Ask you to download screen sharing software
If you get a call like this, please hang up immediately and tell your colleagues to be wary of further attempts – don’t click on any links provided in emails/texts. Always use a phone number you know is correct to contact the bank. Never trust a phone number that’s given to you by someone who calls claiming to be your bank. To contact your bank safely, call on a number that you know is correct or visit the website. Alternatively dial 159 the STOP SCAMS UK telephone number that will connect you to your bank.
Other useful links
Protect your charity from fraud: Charity Commission
Protect your charity from cyber crime: Charity Commission
Internal financial controls for charities: Charity Commission