Jeremy Balfour MSP has warned residents to be wary of bogus callers who ask for personal information or bank details.
Mr Balfour’s plea follows numerous reports of scam calls being made to households across Scotland, with some callers posing under the guise of Test and Protect contact tracers.
Trading Standards Scotland say that to avoid being scammed you should not follow any instructions on automated messages; give out personal information or bank details; or allow callers remote access to your computer. You should also avoid giving any of your details to doorstep callers.
Scottish Conservative MSP, Jeremy Balfour, said:
“It’s frustrating to hear of the high number of people receiving scam calls. Some of the calls are very convincing, with scammers using technology that displays the phone numbers of a bank or HMRC, and some are even claiming to be contact tracers.
“As we enter the winter months where we may be spending more time at home, scam calls are likely to be even more rife.
“It is important to remain vigilant; never give out any personal information or bank details to someone over the phone or on the door step. If you do fall victim, do not hesitate to call the police on 101.”
If you have been the victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report the incident to Police Scotland on 101. Report scam calls to Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000 or via their online ScamWatch tool.