The Latest Frauds - Alert System From Kent Police

The ECRC works closely with local policing to ensure that our members benefit from the free tools and services offered by local policing.

One valuable tool is the Kent Fraud Email Alert System (K'FAs), created by Stephen Kelly, the Fraud Prevent and Protect Officer for Kent Police. This system provides weekly alerts to inform the public and businesses about current scams and how to best protect themselves.

The K'FAs, reach hundreds and thousands, not just in Kent but in other areas up and down the country as we are all affected by similar offences. The ECRC publishes Stephen Kelly's weekly K'FAs for our members so you can stay informed and learn about the latest threats targeting businesses and the general public. For further information about fraud, visit Advice About Fraud | Kent Police.

Winter Fuel Fake (Phishing) Emails:

There has been an increase in phishing messages being reported where the victim describes receiving a message highlighting an urgent need to complete a form via a link to avoid stopping the loss or chance of obtaining Winter Fuel Payments.

The victims have reported that the message provides a deadline. When the link is clicked, the victims are taken to a cloned government website asking for personal details initially, once completed the next page will request card details.

This is all a scam designed to steal your financial data. Please be wary of any emails like this and do not click the link.

Report suspicious emails by forwarding them to: report@phishing.gov.uk

If you think that you may have been a victim of any type of scam, then contact your Bank immediately, which you can do by calling 159 and report it to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.

For further information about Fraud, visit our website at Advice About Fraud | Kent Police.

You will also find valuable information from the Home Office at Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams.

Fake Energy Support Grant Message

We have had reports of people receiving the below message. It gives you 24 hours to apply for an energy support grant.

By clicking the link, you are taken to a realistic looking website under the control of the criminals, where they will look to steal your personal and financial data. Always be wary of texts or emails asking you to click on links in messages and be wary of time-sensitive messages.

Report suspicious texts by forwarding to 7726.

The message reads:

Official DWP reminder. Due to rising energy prices you are now recognised as eligible for an Energy Support Grant of between £200 and £300. The grant will help you pay for your household electricity and gas bills, as well as the cost of energy consumed by common appliances such as water heaters, cookers, and air conditioners. You have until (date) to apply. The system will automatically close the application portal at that time. Click here to apply now: (link). The DWP is with you to help keep you warm.

If you think that you may have been a victim of any type of scam, then contact your Bank immediately, which you can do by calling 159 and report it to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.

For further information about Fraud, visit our website at Advice About Fraud | Kent Police.

You will also find valuable information from the Home Office at Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams.

Fraud Alert - Advance Fee Fraud:

The victim of this particular fraud received a phone call from a company claiming to be able to recover money for over payment of solar panels.

The offenders were able to supply correct information about the victim's solar panels that had been previously installed.

They stated that the company that originally fitted these had gone into administration but that the victim was eligible for a considerable refund.

They claimed that the matter had gone to court and to receive this refund, the victim would need to pay a fee, which was payable in advance to the offenders, of approximately £1500. They were subsequently requested to pay a further fee of £350.

Unfortunately, this was a scam.

You will never need to pay an advance fee to a court to release a compensation payment.

There are a number of variations of this type of fraud in relation to cold calls about solar panels, but all will involve paying some type of advance fee.

If you think that you may have been a victim of any type of scam, then contact your Bank immediately, which you can do by calling 159 and report it to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.

Over £3 million Lost to Romance Fraudsters by Kent Victims Last Year:

Kent Police is warning people to be aware of romance fraud after a Swale resident was tricked out of almost £100,000 and lost her home.

This resident is one of thousands of victims targeted by dating scammers every year in the UK, with Kent residents losing a total of £3.1 million in the last financial year.

The force is supporting a national campaign aimed at raising awareness of romance fraud and helping people to spot when someone may be trying to take advantage of them.

A total of 240 reports were received from Kent victims in 2024/25, with each person being scammed out of an average of £13,000 each.

The following is a press release issued by Kent Police with advice on how to spot the signs of this scam and the steps that you can take to avoid becoming a victim.

https://www.kent.police.uk/news/kent/latest/policing-news/over-3-million-lost-to-romance-fraudsters-by-kent-victims-last-year/

Investment Scam Alert: Do Not Get Caught Out

We are still seeing an increase of reports for investment scams.

Social media is a major hunting ground for investment scammers, with 36% of all UK investment fraud reports last year linked to platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram.

Have you received an unexpected message offering a 'cant-miss' investment opportunity?

It could be a scam.

Criminals often impersonate trusted public figures like Martin Lewis, Elon Musk, or Jeremy Clarkson to gain your trust. With the rise of AI and deepfake technology, these impersonations are becoming more convincing than ever.

Stay informed and protect your money. Visit - City of London Police: over £649m lost to investment fraud in 2024, with cryptocurrency fraud on the rise | City of London Police.

If you think that you may have been a victim of any type of scam, then contact your Bank immediately, which you can do by calling 159 and report it to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.

For further information about Fraud, visit our website at Advice About Fraud | Kent Police.

You will also find valuable information from the Home Office at Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams.

How can the ECRC support?

By joining the ECRC as a free member, your organisation will be supported in making the small changes that make the biggest difference when it comes to cyber resilience. Becoming a free member means you will receive the latest cyber resilience guidance via email, which will drip feed you ways in which you can improve your cyber resilience without costing any money.

The ECRC website also contains several links to helpful National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) resources, which are all free, up-to-date, and easy to use. Tools such as Exercise in a Box and the NCSC Cyber Action Plan are particularly useful in terms of identifying areas where you could improve your cybersecurity. They also have many informative guides that are sector specific, which will give you useful and detailed information.

If you would like more information about how the ECRC can help your organisation specifically, please book a chat with us today!

Reporting a live cyber-attack 24/7:

If you are a business, charity or other organisation which is currently suffering a live cyber-attack (in progress) please call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 immediately. This service is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Reporting a cyber-attack which is not ongoing:

Please report online to Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime. You can report cybercrime online at any time using the online reporting tool, which will guide you through simple questions to identify what has happened. Action Fraud advisors can also provide the help, support, and advice you need.

Alternatively, you can call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 (textphone 0300 123 2050).