DON'T FALL PREY TO FINANCIAL FRAUD

One reader shares how she was scammed. Avoid it happening to you…

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Alex Finch, 50, lives in London and runs a business consultancy firm. She is a single mum of two children aged 18 and 16. Last year, she lost £180,000 to fraudsters.

“I’m fairly sensible and streetwise. I don’t lose things, I never open phishing emails or click on dodgy links. I warn my elderly parents endlessly about scams and check their messages. I’ve always thought I’m pretty savvy.

When I hear myself talking about this now, I feel a complete idiot. It was last December. I was very busy – in two days, we were going away to Paris for Christmas. I was trying to finish work, the kids were finishing school, I had to pack, take my daughter to her ballet performance, our family dog was sick. All these things were on my mind that Thursday, late morning, when the landline rang.