Action Fraud has received over 750 reports in the last week about Bitcoin-related phishing emails that use fake celebrity endorsements to try and lure victims into investment scams. The links in the emails lead to fraudulent websites that are designed to steal your money, as well as personal and financial information.
How you can protect yourself:
- Investment opportunities: Don’t be rushed into making an investment, legitimate organisations will never pressure you into making a transaction on the spot.
- Seek advice first: Speak with a trusted friend or family members, and seek independent professional advice before making significant financial decisions.
- FCA register: Use the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) register to check if the company is regulated by the FCA. If you deal with a firm (or individual) that isn’t regulated, you may not be covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) if things go wrong and you lose your money.
- For more information about how to invest safely, please visit: https://www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart
- Forward suspicious emails: If you have received an email which you’re not quite sure about, forward it to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) at report@phishing.gov.uk
To see examples of the Bitcoin-related phishing emails that have been reported to Action Fraud, follow them on Twitter or Facebook.
And remember: just because an email says Martin Lewis (Money Saving Expert) endorses it, doesn’t mean it’s true!