How it works

Hold the letter, screen or phone message flat and take one photo of the whole page. It does not need to be neat. If we cannot read it, we say so and you can try again.

We read the words on the page. At the same time we look up the details printed on it — the web address, the phone number, the company name, the bank account. We look these up in public records, such as the company register and the register of firms allowed to handle money.

We do not look up the bank or company whose name is at the top. A copied name tells us nothing. The details underneath do.

You get a plain answer, the reasons behind it, and one or two things to do next. If it is an ordinary letter, we explain what it is asking for and by when.

• Whether the letter behaves the way a con normally behaves.
• What the details printed on it are recorded as in public records.
• What an ordinary letter is asking you to do, in plain words.
• Who to ring, and what not to do while you decide.

• We cannot be certain. We give you our best read, not a promise.
• We cannot see anything that is not in the photo.
• We cannot check your bank account or move money for you.
• We cannot get money back for you. Only your bank can start that.

Being unsure is a normal answer, and it is the safe one. When that happens we pass your photo to a person on our team, who comes back to you within two hours.

While you wait: do not send any money, do not tap any links on it, and do not ring a number printed on the letter. If you want to check with your bank, ring the number on the back of your bank card, or ring 159.