The Pioneer Group Scam Awareness Week 

This week we wanted to raise awareness for potential online and phone call scams. In the lead up to Christmas we all might be buying gifts for our loved ones online and so it is an important season to stay cautious of where you are spending your money.  

Every day this week we will share a different scam avoidance tip to remind you to double check your sources. We have carefully selected our top 5 tips for you: 

1. Don’t be rushed. Scammers will often rush a decision from you so that you have less time to think about what you are buying. If anyone calls or texts, you from The Pioneer Group we will not rush your payment. 

2. Know who you are buying from. New websites are created every week. Some of those may be created to scam users. Double check the validity of where you are buying from. Read reviews from other customers to identify authenticity. 

3. Avoid paying with bank transfer. If someone asks you to transfer money via bank transfer, your money cannot be protected. Instead, use a debit or credit card or sites like PayPal who can protect your purchase if it isn’t as described or doesn’t arrive. The Pioneer Group will not ask for your bank details over the phone, text or email. 

4. Call back using genuine numbers. If you have any suspicion that who you are talking to isn’t who they say they are, hang up and find the official company phone number to call. If you doubt you are talking to someone from our team, hang up and call our official number, 0121 748 8100. 

5. Keep your personal information private. Details such as your address or family names shouldn’t be shared over the phone or internet. Personal details can allow for scammers and hackers access to your accounts. We will have these details for you and therefore will never ask for them over the phone. Again, if in doubt, hang up and call our official number.

When paying for anything, it is important to be aware of potential scams. If something seems too good to be true, the likelihood is, that it is not true.  

Tosin Durojaiye, Income Manager, says, “It is always important to be aware of telephone and online scams but this time of year, scams are particularly frequent, and we must stay vigilant”    

If you are worried that something is a scam, you can contact Citizen’s Advice on 0808 223 1133 or Compass Support on 0121 748 8111.