Fake romance to missed deliveries: How to protect yourself from three common scams

Fake romance to missed deliveries: How to protect yourself from three common scamsImage source, Getty ImagesByKevin PeacheyCost of living correspondentPublished22 June 2026Nobody thinks they will become the victim of a scam, until they are.A record four million cases of fraudsters stealing money were registered last year, according to UK Finance, a banking trade body - with plenty more going unreported.Sam Little, a 35-year-old former contestant of BBC show The Traitors, revealed last week he had lost £40,000 in life savings to a phishing scam. "I like to think I'm savvy, but it can catch anyone," he said.Here are three of the most popular tricks used by fraudsters and how to avoid them.1. Stolen bank detailsThe scam: "Hi Mum, I've got a new phone" or messages about missed deliveries.Fraudsters send out mass messages suggesting that the recipient needs to update their details. It is just a way of harvesting vital banking details in order to steal money.In the case of the "Hi Mum" text, the message is usually followed by an urgent request to send money. Banks reported a surge in "Hi Dad" scams in the run-up to Father's Day.Messages about missed deliveries usually include a link which, when clicked on, take the recipient to an official-looking website. It is run by fraudsters and gathers banking information which is then used in so-called remote-purchase fraud - when criminals buy things from stolen card details. Some £423m was lost this way last year, according to UK Finance.How to avoid it: Type, don't tap.Experts urge people to avoid tapping on links. If a message claims to be from, for example, Royal Mail, then type out the genuine Royal Mail website.Card details can be stolen in many different ways, such as through data breaches. But fraudsters often need a One-Time Passcode (OTP) to complete a theft. These should be treated as carefully as bank details and never given to someone who calls pretending to...