The scams Dorset residents need to be aware of this Christmas

In the last 12 months, more than £645,000 has been lost to online shopping scams in Dorset alone.

People will be keen to buy their shopping online this year more than ever to avoid the rush of the shops amid the coronavirus pandemic.

With items being ordered and delivered to our doors, we may also receive emails claiming to be authentic, wishing to reschedule deliveries or to transfer money. 

But in fact, they are trying to get your bank details and lose innocent people a hefty amount of money. 

There also scams where scammers pretend to be police officers warning you of issues with your bank account and asking you to make a huge withdrawal to 'protect' the money. 

Here are six scams you need to be aware of. 

Amazon Prime scam that asks you to renew your subscription

Fraudsters are targeting Amazon Prime customers with automated calls telling them their subscription will be renewed for £39.99.

The scam sees people asked to connect with an "account manager" to complete the process.

Consumer website Which? believes this is similar to a Visa fraud scam, which also instructs customers to  "press 1" to be connected.

It warns: "From here, it’s highly likely scammers will attempt to extort bank details and/or personal data from you."

Police officer warns you of bank fraud and must withdraw money

A recently publicised scam is one where a scammer would claim to be a police officer or detective from another force area.

The caller would say they are looking into a fraud in their bank account, or that their card has been used fraudulently and must withdraw a large sum of cash to then be picked up by a courier.

This scam commonly targets elderly people, as recent incidents saw two Dorset residents lose thousands from their bank accounts.

A spokesman for Dorset Police shared this advice: "Please hang up immediately as this is a scam.

"Do not provide or confirm any details to the caller.

"When you hang up, you can contact your bank to check if everything is in order. Please pass this information to anyone you may feel is vulnerable to this scam.

"Many people will assume it is genuine as the caller says they are from the Police.”

'DPD' ask for bank details as part of 'delivery'

Delivery giant DPD have sent an urgent warning to shoppers about a scam circulating which attempts to trick recipients into handing over their bank details.

Online fraudsters send an email which appears to be from DPD and urges people to pay to reschedule a delivery of their Christmas parcels.

The convincing looking email looks like a legitimate message sent by the delivery company, asking customers to schedule a new delivery.

The message states that a parcel was attempted to be delivered, but there was no safe place to leave it.

As such, customers are asked to schedule a new delivery date and pay a shipping fee.

The email then directs recipients to a fake website where they are asked to submit their personal details, including payment information.

If submitted, this would allow fraudsters access to their bank account where they could steal their funds.

HMRC tax warning

HMRC are asking customers to be aware of copycat HMRC websites and phishing scams.

People are asked to always type in the full www.gov.uk/hmrc address to be sent to the correct link for filling out their tax return securely online.

They also warn to be alert if someone calls, emails or texts claiming to be from HMRC, saying that they can claim financial help, are due a tax refund or owe tax. It might be a scam.

Check GOV.UK for information on how to recognise genuine HMRC contact.

'Royal Mail' say they have a delivery for you 

The scam involves recipients receiving either a text message or an email that appears to be from Royal Mail.

The message states that there was an attempt to deliver a parcel made, and you are instructed to click a link in order to reschedule the delivery.

The link will then direct you to an authentic looking website, which asks for your full name, address, date of birth and mobile number.

Once you’ve completed this form, you’ll then be prompted to enter your card details, which the scammers can use to access your bank account.

Fake PayPal emails make people believe they have been sent money 

Criminals have been targeting people selling items online, by sending them emails reporting to be from PayPal.

The emails trick victims into believing they have received payment for the items they’re selling on the platform.

Typically, after receiving these emails, victims will ship the item to the criminal.

This leaves them at a further disadvantage having not received any payment for the item and also no longer being in possession of it.

How to spot scams and what to do if you see one

Action Fraud recommends being wary of fraudulent emails and messages that:

• are unsolicited and supposedly come from a reputable organisation, such as a bank or credit card company
• encourage you urgently to visit a website or call a number to verify or update your details
• request your personal information such as username, password or bank account
• Has poor grammar, spelling or presentation

If you do receive a suspicious message you should not reply to it, and be cautious about clicking on any links that may be embedded, or calling a number that may be provided.

If you have responded to a message that you suspect to be a scam and gave your bank account details, you should contact your bank immediately.

To report a scam, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or report it online.