Sunderland is warned against phone scams for 2024

Wearsiders are urged to be on the lookout for phone scams in 2024, with tens of millions of scam texts being blocked nationally in 2023.

"Smishing" can see unsuspecting people lose money by presenting their details to thieves running fake websites and other scams.

Fake texts can look as though they are from a genuine bank. Recently supposed HSBC texts from random numbers have claimed that intended victims have spent at a particular brand and to call a number if it wasn’t them.

Scammers then call claiming to be from the bank and ask for details.

Another racket involves random calls from fictitious recruitment companies, or criminals pretending to represent a real one, asking for details or even money up front.

Texts about "missed deliveries" impersonate the Post Office, Royal Mail, Evris, DPD and UPS.

As waiting for deliveries becomes increasingly commonplace, scammers invite us to clicking on links in 'missed delivery’ texts. These messages purport to be from delivery companies including and the Post Office.

In one message found by consumer magazine Which? a text impersonating the Post Office and the Royal Mail says that a parcel is can not be delivered and suggests following a malicious link to "reschedule a redelivery".

"Wrong number" scammers begin by texting something a friend might say, like "Hope you're feeling better" to lure victims.

Finally fake HMRC refund texts claim people are owed £277. This leads to a malicious link.

Anyone receiving a text claiming to be from HMRC should log in to their official HMRC online services account to verify the information.

Which? urges the public to avoid following any links, be wary of texts asking for personal information, to contact the company a text claims to be from directly, or logging in to your online account with the company using its official website.

Don’t reply to the message as this will let the scammer know that the number is active. Report scam texts by forwarding the message to 7726.

If you think you have been scammed, please call your bank immediately using the number on the back of your bank card and report it to Action Fraud.