September 14th 2022
Get Safe Online today warns of shocking scams that have been seen circulating since the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Tickets for sale to attend her funeral, scheduled for Monday 19th September – and preceding lying-in-state at Westminster Hall – have been seen circulating on social media, encouraging mourners to ‘buy tickets’.
Tony Neate, CEO at Get Safe Online, comments “It never fails to amaze me that whenever there is a tragedy, cybercriminals will inevitably use it as an opportunity to exploit and trick people into parting with their well-earned money. To do this while a nation is in a state of mourning is beyond comprehensible. We want to warn the public today of this latest scam, so they can steer clear and not fall victim to this particularly obnoxious fraud. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
Other anticipated scams include fraudulent advertisements for the new stamps and coins, as well as royal memorabilia. Users may be tempted to buy something that they never receive, or pay for tickets that are, of course fake as tickets for the lying-in-state and funeral itself will not be on sale.
Investment scams have also been cited, encouraging individuals to invest in cryptocurrencies that have been created following the death of the Queen. These ‘Meme’ coins are being shared on social media as an opportunity to invest, promising a quick return. As with any crypto investment, do thorough research before investing to make sure you do it wisely.
To stay safe, Get Safe Online advises the public to always follow these guidelines to minimise the chances of becoming a victim:
- Always check the authenticity of any seller before making a purchase – do your research and check the validity of a website using Get Safe Online’s new Check a website feature: https://www.getsafeonline.org/checkawebsite/
- If in doubt, call the correct number of the organisation or individual who is making the sale, to check the authenticity of the offer or communication
- Never pay by bank transfer – always use a credit or debit card or a legitimate payment platform such as PayPal to make a payment
- Don’t click on links in posts, tweets or direct messages offering to sell you something unless you’re 100% certain that they’re genuine and well-intentioned
- Think twice before clicking on shortened URLs (website addresses) or QR codes offering to sell to you, as they may divert you to a fraudulent website
- Before making a payment or revealing any confidential details, ask yourself if a genuine organisation would really contact you in the way they have
More information on many types of scams and how to avoid them can be found on this website.
