Take Five to Stop Fraud pop-up for anti-fraud event

The anti-fraud arm, to help avoid the British public from falling victim to scammers, particularly as we get “back to the grind” in September. Post-holiday busyness in September can sometimes mean our focus is shifted to multiple things, heightening the risk of missing fraudulent attempts.

New data from the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign has found that half of people (50%) say they feel busier when coming back from a holiday. A third said that being busy makes them more likely to take a chance on a cheap deal of financial offer (34%) and were also more likely to lose focus or fail to check the details of a communication they receive (46%), all of which could potentially put them at risk of fraud.

Three in five people (59%) state that they are concerned about falling victim to fraud with almost a third of people (31%) reporting to have received an attempted scam over the summer, with one in eight people (12%) receiving two or more. The Stop Inn events from Take Five to Stop Fraud seek to avoid people falling victim.

Speaking about the research findings, Paul Maskall from the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign said: “We know that being busy and distracted can often mean we are more susceptible to criminals’ fraud attempts. September is a busy time for people as they get back to their daily lives and therefore it’s important to remind ourselves to be alert to fraudsters and to stop and challenge requests that don’t feel right. After all, criminals are experts at pretending to be a person or organisation we trust and sometimes try to rush or panic us. My best tip is to follow the advice of the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign and stop and think if someone asks for your money or personal information.”

Also at the Stop Inn event will be Arcade Strange’s Homer V robot, which uses EEG technology to track electro-pulse activity in the prefrontal cortex and gauge how focused you are. The more focused you are (and less susceptible to fraud attempts), the better Homer V pours your free drink.

It aligns with Take Five’s aim to inform people about scammers. The campaign urges people to clear their mind and focus on what’s in front of them before falling victim to fraud.

After an event at King’s Cross Station in London on September 4th, Homer V continues a roadshow to Manchester on September 5th and Glasgow’s Buchanan Galleries on September 12.

To help people stay safe, the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign advice is to:

• Stop Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.

• Challenge: Could it be fake? It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.

• Protect: Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud.

Find out more at takefive-stopfraud.org.uk