Amid the rise of cost-of-living scams, the PSNI are warning the public to be on their guard against an increase in fraudulent behaviour.
This follows the circulation of a text scam (pictured below), which offers false energy discounts in an attempt to get hold of people's personal or banking details.
An increase in recent illegal communication means these scams can also come in the form of phone calls, emails, social media correspondence, pop-up messages on a website, and door-to-door engagement.
Superintendent Gerard Pollock, Chairperson of the Scamwise NI Partnership, has issued a warning against the threat of scams: "Please, do not let yourself be fooled. The easiest way to stop a scam is to apply these five rules - hang up the call immediately; always delete texts requesting personal information or bank account details; never call the number back; never click on links in text messages, or respond to unsolicited texts; never ever transfer money at the request of someone you do not know. This last one is very important, and it will assist in preventing these criminals gaining access to your money and you losing out. It is worth reiterating that you should never transfer money to another account having received a call from someone you do not know."
David Butler, Director of SGN Natural Gas, added: "SGN Natural Gas supports this warning from the PSNI. Being aware of fraudulent behaviour, cybercrime and scams is extremely important. I would like to remind our customers not to engage with any suspicious communication. If you have doubts about any correspondence you have received from SGN Natural Gas, you can contact us directly on 0800 975 7774, the live chat function on our website or via our social media channels."
If you have become the victim of a scam, report it to the police on 101, or online at www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ and notify your bank immediately.
