HSBC Channel Islands and Isle of Man has been running videos with States of Jersey Police on its social media, warning Islanders about the latest financial fraud scams.
The videos, featuring John Goddard, Head of Wealth and Personal Banking at HSBC and Chris Beechey, States of Jersey Police Detective Chief Inspector, Crime Operations, are on the Bank’s Facebook page. They cover a range of fraud scams including ‘purchase and refund’ scams, such as for purchasing fake Covid-19 testing kits or PPE, or refunding cancelled flights, holidays or goods, and charity scams.
Commenting on the need for extra awareness, John Goddard said: “Covid-19 has given fraudsters an opportunity to update their scams. We want our customers and the wider community to be aware, alert and safe. . We’re seeing more and more that fraudsters are sending fake text messages, pretending to be from a trusted source such as the Government or police. The text will usually offer financial support and services or will say that a fee needs to be paid. By working with the States of Jersey Police, we want to islanders to be able to confidently identify a scam and react accordingly.”
Chris Beechey also added: “If you receive a text or call which sounds even slightly like it might be a scam, you should verify it by calling the supposed sender on a trusted or published phone number – not the one they called you on. Remember, no Government or police force will ever contact you by text or call you to pay for anything – if it seems wrong, it probably is. We are very pleased to be working with HSBC, to make sure people in Jersey remain safe and secure during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
To view the videos, you can visit the Bank’s Facebook page here.
For more information on personal fraud during this time, resources can be found at https://ciiom.hsbc.com/help/coronavirus/ and also https://ciiom.hsbc.com/help/security-centre/fraudguide/.
