You might get a call sometime from a person pretending to be from a company you trust. They may ask for your account information or passwords.
If you're suspicious about a call or if someone is putting you under pressure to give them your personal information, hang up.
If you're concerned about a call from someone who says they're from SSE Energy Solutions, call us back using one of the phone numbers on your bill or our website, so we can help you.
Sometimes criminals will try to get your personal details by sending emails that look like they're from a trusted source, like a bank or utilities supplier. These are known as “phishing” emails.
Phishing emails often don’t address you by your name. They might also have strange-looking web or email addresses, bad grammar, poor-quality images and website URLs that are different when you hover over them.
If you have doubts about an email, don't open it. Instead, get in touch with the company or person who supposedly sent it, either by phone or through their website. Don’t use the web address given in the email. Search for it online instead.
Never act on an email that asks you for personal information, such as your bank account details or your password. At SSE Energy Solutions, we'll never ask you for your password or other personal information by email.
Use different passwords for your different online accounts and make sure they’re “strong” – difficult to guess. Here’s how to create a strong password:
Keep your passwords safe but it’s best not to write them down. Use a password manager to store them securely instead.
Update your operating system, apps and antivirus software when they offer you a new version. If your device doesn’t update automatically, it’ll usually tell you when there are new versions available to download.
Identity theft is when a person’s personal details are stolen. Identity fraud is when stolen personal details are used to get money or goods in the victim’s name, for example, by stealing money from their bank account.
Identity theft and fraud are becoming an increasingly common problem in the UK, as fraudsters discover more ways to get the information required to steal someone’s identity.
Here are a few ways to protect yourself and your personal information:
If you think your information has been stolen, act quickly to minimise the impact of the theft:
Invoice redirection is when criminals pose as a creditor or supplier and tell a business that their company’s bank account details have changed. They ask the business to make all future payments to a new account. The business then makes a payment believing that it’s going to a genuine supplier, but instead the money is redirected into the new fraudulent account.
Often the business doesn’t know it’s a victim of this crime until the real supplier sends a reminder invoice for payment. Victims of invoice redirection fraud range from very small businesses to large corporations.
When reviewing invoices, check for any suspicious details, such as:
If you receive a request from a creditor or supplier to change their bank account details or contact information, such as a telephone number:
It’s important for your business to take steps to avoid being impersonated by criminals. Make sure your computer operating systems and cybersecurity software are regularly updated, and use strong passwords for all email accounts.
And keep a look out for “phishing” emails that could give criminals access to your business systems. Once inside, the fraudsters could target your customers, which risks damaging their business and eroding their trust in yours.