Fraud
Doorstop criminals will use any trick to get into peoples' homes
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Many people are taken in by fraudsters - these criminals are clever and will use every known trick to try and mislead you. However you are feeling or whenever the crime took place, you can talk to someone from Victim Support free of charge and in complete confidence.
Fraud is when someone steals property, goods or money by tricking you – or even tries to do it.
Sometimes a fraudster will use someone else’s identity or false name badges and identification to commit crimes. They might deceive you into buying goods or services that are not for sale or don’t exist. They may trick you to giving them money, even large amounts, possibly over a long period of time. They may resort to trying to frighten or harass you to get more money.
Sometimes fraud victims blame themselves after a crime like this. Maybe you only gave someone a little information such as your phone number, email or address but the situation has snowballed out of control. But never forget that you're not to blame – only the offender is responsible for this crime taking place.
Many people are taken in by fraudsters – these criminals are clever and will use every known trick to try and mislead you so you shouldn't feel embarrassed or ashamed at becoming a victim.
Fraud can cause huge amounts of stress, affect your sleeping and your well-being more generally. In some cases the anxiety it causes can seriously affect people's health.
Identify theft
Identity theft is specifically when someone commits fraud by using your personal details to commit crime, to deceive others, open bank accounts, apply for loans or even to purchase goods and services using your bank details and money. This crime can be extremely damaging as not only do you feel powerless to stop the crimes being committed but you may not be aware that it's happening until it is too late.
However you are feeling or whenever the crime took place, you can talk to someone from Victim Support free of charge and in complete confidence. We can help, whether or not you have told the police or anyone else. Most victims of crime want to talk to someone about what has happened and how they are feeling. Friends and family can be very helpful, but our volunteers are specially trained to listen and understand. We can also give useful information to help you deal with some of the problems a crime has caused. And we can offer practical help too.
Things you can do to reduce the damage from fraud
If you've lost key documents and other personal items through a fraud (such as bank cards, official papers etc), acting quickly can help prevent further loss. We've created a checklist of things to look out for and some simple steps you can take to help get things back under control.
Get in touch: we can help
Most people are referred to us by the police when they report a crime. But anyone can contact us directly if they want to.
You can also email or call the Victim Supportline on 0845 30 30 900 for support and information.