Fraud Prevention
In today's digital world, fraudsters are provided with increased opportunities to deceive individuals into being conned or scammed. This means that it is more important now than ever to be vigilant and aware of common scams to help keep you and your money safe. Remember – if in doubt, don’t make the payment – an honest payee will always wait while you check out their credentials.
Fraudsters impersonating Plata
Scammers may impersonate Plata through phone calls, texts or emails. They may request personal information or upfront fees for a loan. Plata does not charge any upfront fees for your loan application.
If we contact you via SMS, you’ll see our message from +44 7782 621113, we will never contact you from a number other than that. If in doubt, don’t respond. Call or email us instead.
If you receive an email from us, it will only ever be from an email address ending @plata.com.
If you have received any suspicious emails or text messages claiming to be Plata, please report them to our Fraud department at fraud@plata.com.
Remember, Plata does not charge any upfront fees for your loan application.
The consequences of taking out a loan for a false purpose
Even if you have unwillingly been scammed, there are still consequences that will fall on you if you have taken out a loan under false circumstances.
- Sharing your personal bank details with third parties may violate your account's terms and conditions, jeopardising your account's security and neglecting your responsibility to safeguard your personal information.
- Plata offers comprehensive scam warnings during our application process. These warnings should be read by all applicants. Disregarding these warnings could affect the results of any future investigations.
- As a CIFAS member, Plata is required to report any fraudulent activities to them. This could potentially affect your future credit or job prospects if a fraudulent mark is placed on your credit report.
If you take out a loan with Plata, you will be solely responsible for paying it back.
Protect yourself from third party fraud
Third party fraud, also known as identity theft, happens when an individual's personal details are used by a third party without knowledge or consent. This stolen information could be used to open new accounts under the victim's name (e.g. a credit card or a loan) or it could be used by the scammers to access the victim's real accounts and take their money.
Avoid using passwords that include your personal information like your date of birth, wedding anniversary or a family member’s name.
Always have up-to-date anti-virus software on your device
Password protect all your devices including your mobile phones. You can also add extra layers of security by password-protecting certain apps with facial recognition or fingerprint authentication.
Protect your wifi - read your wireless router's manual on instructions on how to set up a 'key'. This ensures no one else can access the internet through your router.
Monitor your credit file and bank accounts – you can monitor your credit file by using a free credit monitoring service which will analyse your file and alert you to any changes, searches or accounts opened in your name. To monitor your bank account, you can enable notifications in your banking app to see ingoings and outgoings.
Keep your computer's operating system up-to-date. This includes smartphones.
Reporting fraud
If you fall victim to a scam no matter how big or small, reporting it is always good practice. It not only helps protect others, but by doing so you might even recover your money or help catch the criminal.
Any fake emails can be forwarded to report@phishing.gov.uk. If you have received a scam message, you can forward it to 7726. Phone providers can take action by blocking numbers generating spam.
You can also report any scams to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or by sending them an email at actionfraud.police.uk.
If you have received any suspicious emails or text messages claiming to be Plata, please report them to our Fraud department at fraud@plata.com.
Please be aware, if we contact you via SMS, you’ll see our message as from ‘Plata’ or +44 7782 621113.
We will never contact you from a number other than the above. If in doubt, don’t respond. Call or email us instead.
If you receive an email from us, it will only ever be from an email address ending @plata.com. Also, be wary of any emails asking you to make a payment to get a loan. Plata does NOT charge any upfront fee for your loan application.
Plata have also partnered with CIFAS who offer a facility called ‘protective registration’. This is beneficial for individuals who would like an element of protection against identity theft.
