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Scams in the News
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Little Book of Big Scams – Thames Valley Police publication to help us all be aware of the risks.
Fraud is constantly evolving — and while the criminals behind scams are clever, communities that share knowledge are stronger. Here are some of the latest headlines, featuring examples of new scam tactics, prevention successes, and cases where scammers have been caught.
🚨 New & Emerging Scam Tactics
- Parking fine text scams on the rise Fraudulent SMS messages are being sent claiming to be official parking charge notices and linking to fake payment websites. Councils warn never to pay from a text link. 👉 Read more – The Guardian
- “Quishing” – fake QR code scams Criminals are sticking false QR codes over real ones (e.g. parking meters), sending people to malicious websites. Always check the URL before entering details. 👉 Read more – The Guardian
- Fake FCA officials Nearly 5,000 reports in the first half of 2025 involved fraudsters pretending to be the UK’s financial regulator. Hundreds of victims sent money believing they were recovering lost funds. 👉 Read more – FCA
- Scam letters using FSCS branding Fraudsters are sending fake letters and emails impersonating the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, claiming people are due a refund. 👉 Read more – FSCS
📱 Digital Threats & Text Alerts
- O2 blocks 600 million scam texts in 2025 Virgin Media O2 has intercepted more scam texts this year than in the previous two years combined, warning customers of the most common types: fake prizes, parking fines, recruitment traps, and car finance offers. 👉 Read more – The Sun
- Student jailed for phishing-kit sales A UK student received a seven-year sentence for selling phishing kits online that mimicked bank login pages. This case shows how easily fraud tools circulate. 👉 Read more – UK Finance
👮 Scammers Caught & Victims Protected
- Major HMRC phishing gang arrested Romanian police arrested 13 suspects involved in fake HMRC refund campaigns that targeted more than 100,000 UK taxpayers. Losses were estimated at £47m. 👉 Read more – ITPro
- National fraud crackdown (Operation Henhouse) UK police made 422 arrests and froze £7.5m during a nationwide operation against organised fraud networks. 👉 Read more – NCA
- Crypto scam cold-callers jailed Two London men were sentenced to a combined 12 years in prison for running a fake cryptocurrency investment scheme that stole £1.5m. 👉 Read more – FCA
💡 Why Awareness Matters
According to BBC News, fraud is now the most common crime in England and Wales, with over three million cases reported in 2024 alone. Criminals often target those who least expect it, and scams can affect anyone — not just the vulnerable.
The good news: when scams are reported, action is taken. Arrests, prosecutions, and large-scale operations show that criminals do get caught. And by sharing knowledge, we help prevent more victims.
✅ What You Can Do
- Stop – Think – Check before acting on unexpected messages.
- Report suspicious texts and emails via Action Fraud or 7726 (free spam text reporting).
- Talk about scams with friends and family — awareness is one of the strongest defences.
👉 Remember, you can visit our Scam Checker tool to test suspicious situations in real-time at any time:
resilience.wraysbury.com/scam-checker
