3 Scams to Watch Out for this Halloween!

Scammers will take any opportunity they can to part people with their cash, especially large public holidays like Halloween.

Here are three scams to watch out for as we head into the spooky season.

Fake ticket scams

If you’re looking for events to attend over the Halloween weekend, then watch out for bogus websites that are selling fake tickets.

Scammers will create malicious websites and/or advertise on social media either to try and sell fake tickets to genuine events, or tickets to events that are entirely made up. This is an attempt to steal your bank details and personal information so they can take your money and/or commit further crimes such as identity theft.

When you purchase tickets online, make sure you are using a trusted vendor or that you are on the event’s genuine social media page or website. If you are unsure then call the organiser to make sure that you’ve reached the correct address.

Bogus online shops and sellers

If you tend to head online for your Halloween costume and decorations, then make sure you keep an eye out for bogus online retailers.

Scammers will set up shopping websites where the products featured are usually images and descriptions stolen from genuine retailers, but they will offer impressive promotions and discounts. You may also come across sellers attempting to do the same thing on sites like Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, and eBay.

Once you’ve made your purchase, either nothing will turn up, or they will send you something completely different to what you ordered or an empty parcel. If you try to contact them, they will disappear without a trace.

When you’re shopping online, make sure you only make purchases on websites where the URL starts with HTTPS, and the green padlock is shown in the address bar. This symbol means that the website has been verified as safe and any information that you enter is encrypted and can’t be read by prying eyes.

If you’re on a website like eBay or Gumtree, make sure you only purchase from sellers who have good reviews and feedback.

NHS COVID Pass scams

Some organisations and venues may now ask for NHS COVID Passes to be shown before entering an event. So if you’ve booked any Halloween events, then you may be legitimately asked to present a COVID pass. However, scammers are likely to pounce on this as a way of stealing people’s personal information and potentially bank details.

When you book an event, the organiser should inform you as to whether or not you will need to show a COVID pass. But, if you receive any unsolicited emails, texts, or phone calls that ask for your personal details in order to obtain your pass, or if you are asked to pay for a pass, then these should be avoided and reported.

The only way to obtain a genuine NHS COVID Pass is through the NHS app or on their website.

 

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