How to Protect Yourself From Nuisance Phone Calls and Messages.

According to some recent training the team at Partners Like Us received, the first recorded phishing attack was in the 17th Century. This was the Spanish Prisoner Scam, which bears a striking resemblance to the more well-known Nigerian Prince scam, where potential victims are promised a large sum of money in return for some help. Victims are usually asked to make an advance payment or share their personal details to receive their reward.

Unfortunately, unlike the 17th Century, modern technology has made it easier to carry out phishing, scamming, and cold calling on a mass scale. These attacks often come in the form of fraudulent communications that appear to come from legitimate sources, whether via email, text, or phone calls.

Attempts We Have Been Notified Of

Some of our clients have reported the following phishing attempts:

• Fake Email Domain: An email from a fake company using the domain pensionwise.info. This is not the government-backed service. The correct website is https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/pensions-and-retirement/pension-wise

• • If the email contains Adobe Acrobat Sign, you can report the abuse or misuse of an Adobe product or service for malicious or illegal purposes by forwarding the email to phishing@adobe.com (there is no need to click the links on the email).

• Phone Calls: Calls from a company with a Liverpool phone number (0151 317 5311) claiming to be a government pension advice service. This call is not genuine; please ask them to remove your details.
• Impersonation of Pension Wise: Some scammers might imply that they’re part of the government-backed Pension Wise service by including ‘wise’, ‘guidance’, or ‘pension’ in their name. Pension Wise or any other company should only contact you if you have requested it.

Why Do Scammers Do It?

Unsolicited contact is a cheap and effective way for scammers to generate leads. The people working in this sector are trained to sound genuine, confident, and persistent. Beware of official-looking websites encouraging you to fill in your details; this is a common trick used by scammers. Speak to your adviser or any member of the Partners Like Us team if you are unsure about any website or communication you have received.

Be Alert

When receiving unsolicited emails do not click on any link or attachment that you deem to be suspicious.

You should not be contacted by any company about your pension or investments unless you’ve asked them to contact you. If you get a call claiming to be from Pension Wise, the government, or another government-backed organisation, and you have not requested the call, continue the call with caution or hang up.

Treat all calls from unknown people with caution because sometimes the telephone number displayed on your screen may not be the real number the caller is using.

How to React

Ask for the Caller’s Details

When you receive a nuisance call, you can either tell them that you want to be removed from their call list and they do not have your permission to call again or ask for the following details:

• How they obtained your contact details
• Name of the organisation
• Name of the caller
• Address
• Email
• Telephone number

You can use this information to notify the organisation that you no longer wish to receive calls.

How to Stop Nuisance Calls on Your Mobile Phone

Most people are accustomed to receiving sales calls on their mobile phones. It may be worth considering blocking these calls to save time and avoid potential phishing attempts.

iPhone

1. Find the number you want to block from your recent callers.
2. Tap the “i” symbol next to it.
3. Select “Block this caller” to stop unwanted calls or texts.

Android

1. Select the number you want to block in the call log.
2. Tap the “More” or “3 dots” symbol.
3. Add the number to your reject list to stop unwanted calls or texts.

Unsubscribe from emails

All bulk email marketing platforms will have an unsubscribe option, within the email click unsubscribe (Some senders may require you to website to unsubscribe from their emails). Another option once you have unsubscribed is to move the email to spam.

If there is no unsubscribe option:

1. Reply to the sender. Ask them to remove you from the list.
2. Have these unwanted newsletters or promotions redirected to another email folder.
3. Block the sender (You can unblock this address at any time)
4. Filter messages from the company.

Don’t Give Out Your Personal Details

Be cautious about who you give your personal details to. When answering the phone, avoid stating your telephone number and name as a greeting. If you are asked to do anything that could have financial consequences, stop the call and seek advice from your adviser or any member of the Partners Like Us team.

If someone calls asking for personal financial information, do not provide it. Instead, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book, or on the company’s or government department’s website to verify whether the call was genuine.

Make a Complaint

Complaints help regulators take targeted action against those making unlawful calls. If you receive a nuisance call, make a note of the following details:

• Time and date of the call
• Company name
• Name of the caller
• The number you were called from

This information will help you file a complaint with the relevant company or regulator. Even if you don’t have all the information available, you can still make a complaint. Do not hesitate to contact your adviser or any member of the Partners Like Us team if you have any questions or need help and advice.