Tips on protecting yourself against scams
Fraudsters can be hard to spot. We can’t anticipate every tactic they might employ but here are some tips to help you keep safe and information on what to do if you have received a scam email or telephone call.
Check the Ciarb website for information about known scams
We will update members on the website and via email as quickly as possible when we are alerted to a scam affecting our membership.
Consider the information you are sharing
Whilst we take precautions to protect the information you share with us, any publicly available information can be gathered and misused by others, and could for example, be used by criminals to make phishing emails appear more convincing. For this reason, please carefully consider the information you publish on the Member Directory. We strongly advise that you avoid sharing personal email addresses and/or personal contact numbers. We advise you to keep to your professional contact details.
Take your time
If you are being asked to pay an amount of money, take your time and ensure the request is genuine. Ciarb may inform you of upcoming deadlines but we will not pressure you to make a payment. If you feel the person who is emailing or calling you is aggressive and/or applying pressure, be very cautious.
Check the identity
It’s easy for an email to look like it is from a certain individual or organisation. Check the ‘from’ email address carefully before opening an email, and do not click on any links or email attachments unless you are sure of the identity.
Ciarb staff email addresses end with ‘@ciarb.org’ and you will start to receive our renewal emails shortly which will be sent from our Dotdigital email account. If in doubt, you are welcome to forward the email to us at memberservices@ciarb.org and we will confirm if we have indeed sent the email to you.
Also, check the branding and how it is applied. Does the branding look copied and pasted in? Is the logo and/or imagery low resolution? If so, be cautious.
If you are called by someone, ask them for their name, telephone number and email address. You are welcome to check their identity with us by emailing memberservices@ciarb.org. If the person invites you to call them back on a telephone number they have given to you, it is best not to do that. Instead, call Ciarb’s Member Services team at + 44 (0)20 7421 744 and we will be happy to confirm if the person who called you was genuinely from Ciarb.
Never give your payment details over the phone if you are unsure of who you are speaking with.
Never give access to your device
We will never ask to remotely access your device and we do not ask members to download apps.
Never share personal information
Never share your PIN number or passwords. We will never ask you for such information.
Verify the payment method and/or platform
Often scam emails link to fraudulent websites or platforms. If you are asked to pay through an unusual or unfamiliar platform, do not make the payment. You are welcome to contact us at memberservices@ciarb.org and we will verify if a request for payment has been made and is genuine.
What to do if you have received or responded to a scam
If you think you have received and/or responded to a scam email or call that you thought was from Ciarb, please: