People are being cold called by fraudsters claiming to be government officials and asking for payment of an unpaid debt. They may say they are from HMRC or DWP or PPI.
The caller (fraudster) says that payment can be made by buying gift cards such as iTunes or store gift cards. They arrange to call at a later date giving time for buys to be made at supermarkets and other stores. They ask for a code on the back of the card which allows them to have control of the cash.
People have been scammed out of thousands of pounds at any one time.
The advice of Police Scotland is ask yourself these questions before paying or agreeing to any transaction:
Why are you buying a giftcard?
Who is the giftcard for?
If you are not buying a giftcard to give to someone you know, you may have been scammed.
A list of the main frauds can be found on the Police Scotland website by clicking the button below.
FINANCIAL INCLUSION OFFICERS
Our Financial Inclusion Officers are here to give support to our tenants on a wide range of financial problems