Protecting yourself

One of the key ways to prevent fraud and scams is to stop, think about what you are being told and question if it really makes sense and if it’s genuine.

When it comes to your financial security, there are three key ‘don’ts’:

• Don’t share personal information in response to unexpected or unsolicited calls, emails or texts.
• Don’t click on links or attachments in emails or messages if you’re not sure who they’re from.
• Don’t feel rushed or pressured into making decisions. A genuine caller will never try to panic you. Take your time, check your facts and remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

The first clue that someone might be trying to target you is that you won’t have asked them to contact you. Treat anything unexpected or unusual as suspicious especially if you receive a request for money, even from friends and family. Fraudulent callers are very good at what they do. Their number may look legitimate, and they’ll be friendly and seem like they genuinely want to help you.

Phishing (emails), smishing (text messages) and vishing (voice mail) are all commonly used by fraudsters. They’re used to collect your information, or to load malicious software (sometimes called malware or spyware) into your IT systems. Messages can seem very genuine, especially when they appear to be from an organisation like HMRC, the FCA, or other government bodies.

If you’re asked for a One-Time Passcode, or for confirmation of your bank details or PIN, hang up. Reputable banks and financial institutions will never ask for this kind of information. If you want to make a payment over the phone, the safest way is to call the number you know you can trust. Don’t use any numbers the caller provides. If you have a policy with Phoenix check your annual statement for the right number to use to call us or visit the customer centre.

Check information is genuine by an alternative source before making any payments and don’t worry about ending the contact at any time. If it’s a telephone call, end the call to check them out, but don’t use any addresses or numbers they’ve provided. If they’re offering advice, financial advisers must be registered with the Financial Conduct Authority register so you can look them up or you can check the Scamsmart warning list to see if a warning has been posted about a company.

How to handle a suspicious message

Scammers can make it seem like a message comes from a genuine company. They do this by changing the number or sender name that you see on your device. This is called spoofing.

Never click on a link in an unexpected message. Like other banks and financial services companies, we'll never send you a link in a text message on your mobile phone.

Get Safe Online has a tool you can use to check a website and see if there are any problems with it. If you're worried about a link you've been sent Get Safe Online will help you work out whether a site is real or a fake before you visit.

Be careful when you search on the internet

Be cautious when using the internet to check a company or search for savings and investments, especially when clicking on adverts. Companies are not currently checked by the service provider to make sure they’re regulated and allowed to offer the services they’re promoting.

Always check the Financial Conduct Authority register to make sure the company is registered and regulated by them. And check the Scamsmart Warning list which will tell you if you’re at risk of a scam.

What you should do if you’re contacted to transfer your pension

It’s illegal to make unsolicited calls about pensions, and there are strict rules on who can make a live marketing call in relation to pensions. If you receive a call or message that you’re not expecting and you’ve not asked for - be on your guard. If you’re approached about transferring your pension from someone who could be pretending to be us (or another financial services company or bank), just hang up or close the message you’ve received straight away and report it.

The MoneyHelper website provides lots of information on how to spot a pension scam.

Remember, treat every message you weren’t expecting as suspicious. Don’t open them, don’t click on links or attachments and delete the message immediately.

It’s important to tell us if you receive any contact about your policies with us that doesn’t look or feel right. To find a trusted telephone number to contact us regarding your policy, please use the telephone number shown on your annual statement. You need to be aware that we only speak to the policyholder about their policy and information, unless we have a letter of authority or power of attorney that gives us permission to speak to an authorised person.

Our online portal, MyPhoenix, offers secure access to your policies with us. It’s a way you can also send us secure messages about your policy and any issues you may want to report to us, so it’s worth checking if you can apply to use that service.

Who do I report fraud or scams to?

You can tell us if it’s about your Phoenix policy. You can also report the contact you’ve experienced whether it’s about your Phoenix policy or something else to the following organisations:

If you think you've been contacted by an unauthorised firm or individual trying to scam you.

Contact the FCA Helpline on 0800 111 6768 or use the Reporting Tool

If you think you have been scammed:

For England and Wales report to Action Fraud, on 0300 123 2040 Monday to Friday 8am - 8pm or use Report Online facility.

For Scotland report to Police Scotland directly on 101.

You can report marketing or cold call nuisance calls, text messages and emails to the Information Commissioner's Office. As part of the ICOs actions on protecting personal data they collate concerns raised by the public, seeking to improve practices by organisations and take action where an organisation has failed to comply with the legislation.

If you receive a scam text message, you can send it on to 7726 to help phone companies take early action and block numbers that generate spam on their networks. If a scam text claims to be from your bank, then you should also report it to your bank. Always contact them directly using a known email or phone number, such as the ones shown on their website or the back of your card, or call 159.

You can also forward fake emails you’ve received to report@phishing.gov.uk.

Scam adverts appearing online can be reported by visiting the Advertising Standard Authority’s website.

You might also consider:

Registering with the Telephone Preference Service. This free service allows you to record your preference to not receive any unsolicited telesales calls. Once your telephone number is registered, it is added to an official list that all UK organisations (including charities, voluntary organisations and political parties) are prevented from calling for sales and marketing purposes.

Speak to your telephone provider about what services they can offer to assist blocking these calls. The Ofcom website provides advice for consumers on making the most of services used and how to deal with problems.

Finally, keep up to date on the latest frauds and scams by regularly checking the latest updates on the websites listed below. Our page Protect your identity gives for tips on how to protect your personal information and Pension scams on how to avoid scams.

Not all scams and fraud are committed by people you don’t know. Many might not realise that they’re being targeted by people that they’re personally connected to. And in some cases, could be living under the same roof.

The UK charity Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) is dedicated to raising awareness of financial and economic abuse. SEA has created an Economic Abuse Guide that explains what it is and where you can find support.

If someone is being coercively influenced by others it could be harmful to their immediate or long term financial security. And if you experience coercive pressure in your finances it’s important that you speak to your financial service providers so that they have the relevant safeguards in place to support you and protect your interests.

Phoenix offers an open-minded, compassionate approach to our customers. We encourage our customers to make us aware of situations that may be affecting their financial decisions.

We aim to safeguard customers who may be experiencing economic abuse by:

• Recording the customer’s circumstances to provide an awareness of their situation
• Recording any communication preferences they may have
• Setting up unique passwords to communicate key information for example that the customer isn’t alone or that we shouldn’t act on their withdrawal request.
• Alerting the police by a welfare check if we suspect the customer is in imminent danger

If you or someone you know is affected by financial or economic abuse, support is available from Surviving Economic Abuse.

Action Fraud

CIFAS

Citizens Advice

FCA Scamsmart Warning list

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Register

Friends against scams

MoneyHelper

National Crime Agency

Take Five