Online scammers are getting better at tricking people all the time. They might contact victims by phone or by messaging app, by email or on an online account.

Their fraudulent schemes are designed to steal money, personal information, or both.

There are different sorts of scams, but these are changing all them time and it is important to remember that anyone you don’t know online is suspicious - and that even friends or colleagues can have their accounts hijacked and everyone should be wary of unexpected requests and double-check them.

Offers that promise something for nothing or that seems too good to be true are often scams.

Phishing scammers impersonate real organizations or people by email, text messages, or social media. They aim to trick victims into providing sensitive information, such as passwords or bank details or to send money. Phishing messages often contain urgent requests or threats to put victims under pressure.

Investment and business scams promise high returns with little to no risk and they try to target people who are looking to get more from their savings. Scammers sound persuasive to trick people into quick decisions. Sometimes they will make initial payments so the victims will put more money in their accounts.

Employment scams promise the chance of a new job opportunity that will often pay a large amount and could well be abroad. They try to get advance payments for jobs that do not exist.

Romance scammers create fake profiles on dating sites or use social media or messaging apps to build relationships with their victims. Once trust is established, they come up with a reason why they need money.

Tech support scammers claim to be from a well-known tech company, informing individuals of a non-existent problem with their account. They persuade victims to grant remote access to their device or to pay for unnecessary software or services.