The latest scam alerts from IT-UK Tech Team

The scams you need to know about this month — including celebrity deepfakes and dodgy parking finesSEO meta description: Stay safe this month — learn how celebrity deepfakes, parking-fine texts, QR “quishing”, voice-cloned vishing and pension/job scams work, how to spot them, and exactly what to do if you’re targeted. Advice from IT-UK Tech Team.

TL;DR — Quick scan (read in 60 seconds)

• 🎭 Celebrity deepfakes & voice-cloning: scammers use AI to impersonate public figures or loved ones to build trust and drain accounts.

• 🚫 Parking-fine SMS / PCN scams: fake texts claiming you have a fine — often with a link or QR code to steal card details. Real council PCNs are usually physical tickets. The Guardian+1

• 🔳 Quishing (rogue QR codes): scanning a dodgy QR code can open phishing pages or trigger malicious payments. Reported losses into millions. Action Fraud

• ☎️ Vishing using AI voices: cloned voices used to call victims pretending to be relatives or bank staff. Don’t act in panic — verify independently. American Bar Association

• ✅ What to do now: don’t click, don’t panic, verify (official channels), report to Action Fraud (or your bank), and change passwords if needed. Action Fraud

Why IT-UK Tech Team is flagging these now

Scammers are rapidly adopting generative AI (deepfake video and voice tools), phishing via SMS and QR codes, and fear tactics (threats of legal action or immediate fines). Regulators, banks and consumer advocates are warning the public as attack volumes and sophistication rise. Because these scams often target older and vulnerable people, local businesses and tech teams like ours must share clear, practical guidance.

1) Celebrity deepfakes & AI voice-clones — the new trust hack 🎬🎙️

What’s happening: Scammers create fake videos or use voice-synthesis to imitate a celebrity, banker, or even a family member. They use these to convince victims to transfer money, click malicious links, or reveal account details. Deepfake content can appear in social feeds, ads, or in direct video calls. Yahoo Finance+1

Why it’s dangerous: AI makes impersonation realistic; a few seconds of audio or public footage is often enough to build a convincing fake. Some attacks have led to six-figure losses and large, organised fraud operations.

How to spot them

• The message or video creates urgent emotional pressure (“transfer now”, “I’m in danger”).

• Unusual channels: a celebrity/private person contacting you directly for money or account details.

• Slightly unnatural lip movement, audio glitches, or speech that’s too perfectly enunciated — AI faults show up on careful look.

• Unexpected payment requests to new accounts, gift cards, or crypto.

What to do

• Pause. Don’t send money or click links.

• Independently contact the person’s verified account (or the family member) using a phone number/email you already have — not details supplied in the suspicious message.

• Report the content to the platform (YouTube, Facebook, TikTok) and to Action Fraud if money was lost.

2) Dodgy parking-fine texts (PCN / “you owe a fine”) 🚗📩

What’s happening: Fake SMS messages claim you have a parking penalty with a link to “view” or “pay” the fine. Clicking the link leads to phishing sites that harvest card or personal data — or prompt fake payment via a portal. Some scams use forged QR codes stuck to parking meters. The Guardian+1

How to spot them

• Sender address is strange (not a council short code).

• Message pressures you (“pay now or your licence will be suspended”).

• Links that don’t match the official council domain or include odd extra characters.

• Councils usually issue physical PCNs (ticket on car) or letters — texts with payment links are suspicious.

What to do

• Don’t click. Check your parking history and receipts.

• Go to the official council website (not the link in the text) and use published contact details to verify.

• Report the text to 7726 (spam-reporting short code) and to Action Fraud if you lost money.

3) QR scams & “quishing” — scan with caution 🔳⚠️

What’s happening: Scammers place fake QR codes on posters, public machines, or send them by message. Scanning can open phishing pages that ask for banking details or install malware (on some devices). Action Fraud recorded hundreds of reports and millions lost. Action Fraud

How to spot them

• QR codes in unusual places, or attached poorly to official notices.

• QR leads to short, oddly named domains or pages asking for card details immediately.

What to do

Type known websites directly rather than scanning unfamiliar QR codes.

• If a QR code looks tampered with (sticker over official code), don’t scan — report it.

4) Pension, job and job-offer scams — a reminder for savers 💼💷

Scammers use fake pensions or job offers to get personal information or upfront fees. Regulators recently warned about pension fraud losses; always check with official regulators and never transfer pension savings to an unknown scheme without independent financial advice.

5) Vishing (phone scams) using cloned voices — real-time impersonation ☎️👥

What’s happening: Scammers call pretending to be your bank, a relative, or authority figure — sometimes using voice-cloning to sound like someone you trust. They create urgency (“your account is being drained”) to push quick transfers.

How to protect yourself

• If the caller mentions money, hang up and call the organisation back on a verified number.

• Ask callers for details only the real organisation would know — but don’t read full account numbers aloud.

• Banks will never ask for your full PIN or password over the phone.

Practical checklist — what you should do right now ✅

• 🔒 Don’t click suspicious links or scan unknown QR codes.

• 🛑 Never send money to someone who pressures you — especially to new accounts / crypto.

• 📞 Verify by calling a known number (bank, council, friend) — not the number provided in the suspicious message.

• 🔐 Change passwords and enable 2-factor authentication if you shared credentials.

• 📝 Record evidence (screenshots, messages, numbers) and report: Action Fraud (UK), your bank, and the platform hosting the content. Action Fraud

How to report a scam in the UK (quick guide)

1. If money was taken — contact your bank immediately and ask them to try to stop or reverse the payment.

2. Report to Action Fraud online or call their number (reporting helps law enforcement spot patterns). Action Fraud

3. For suspicious SMS, forward to 7726 to report spam. The Scottish Sun

4. Report deepfakes or scam ads to the platform hosting them (use the report feature). Financial Times

IT-UK Tech Team’s specific recommendations (practical & local)

• Bring in older family members to your local shop or set up a one-hour “safety check” where we review suspicious messages together (we can show them official council and bank contacts).

• Keep a printed checklist of trusted phone numbers (banks, councils, police) and store it by your phone.

• If you run a small business: remind staff to verify invoices and watch for CEO-fraud emails (impersonation). We offer staff training packs.

Example warning templates you can copy

SMS reply to suspicious parking text (do not click link):

“I did not request this. Please confirm the PCN reference and issue date via [official council number]. I will not click this link.”

Phone call verification script:

“I’ll call you back on your official number.” — then call the organisation on a number from their official website (not the one the caller gave you).

Final words — stay calm, verify, report

Scammers are using newer, scarier tools — but the defence hasn’t changed: stop, verify, and don’t share. If something feels off, that’s a good reason to pause. IT-UK Tech Team is keeping an eye on the biggest threats this month (celebrity deepfakes, parking-fine texts, quishing and voice-cloning). If you’re unsure about a message or call, bring it to us and we’ll check it with you.

Need help from IT-UK Tech Team?

If you want us to review a suspicious message or call together, visit IT-UK Tech Team, Unit 5 Chiltern Business Centre, 63–65 Woodside Road, Amersham, HP6 6AA. We offer one-to-one scam checks and community sessions for seniors.

Sources & further reading (key references)

• The Guardian — PCN/parking-fine text scams. The Guardian

• Action Fraud — new alerts on quishing and reporting advice. Action Fraud

• Business Insider — how deepfakes and AI voice cloning are used in bank scams. Business Insider

• Department for Transport — warning about scam text messages posing as DfT. GOV.UK

• Financial Times / Martin Lewis coverage — scale of deepfake scam ads and calls for tougher action. Financial Times

  👨‍💻 Need Help?

  Bring suspicious texts, emails, or calls to:

  IT-UK Tech Team
  Unit 5, Chiltern Business Centre
  63–65 Woodside Road, Amersham, HP6 6AA
  📞 01494 240083 | 🌐 www.ituktechteam.co.uk

  One-to-one scam checks and senior support available.