Skint Brits being forced to take out loans amid the cost of living crisis are now being duped by fraudsters.
The crooks are posing as legitimate companies by sending out take emails to vulnerable customers.
They are asking for money upfront for admin fees.
The victims are wrongly told by the con artists that the £50 charge is refundable.
My Quick Loan and 1st Class Loans have seen a sharp rise in such cases.
The fraudsters are using Hotmail and Gmail email addresses and warned customers to be vigilant.
READ MORE: Brad Pitt fraudster scammed woman out of £146,000 by pretending to be Hollywood star
A My Quick Loan spokesperson said: “We and our sister company 1st Class Loans, we’ve recently experienced an alarming influx of fraudsters impersonating our brands.
“These scammers are cunningly attempting to deceive people who are in need of money and illicitly extract money from unsuspecting individuals.
“How do they do it?
“They send emails to vulnerable customers impersonating legitimate loan companies and asking for money upfront or admin fees.
“It’s important we spread the word to help others not fall victim.”
The fake emails have come from the following addresses [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected].
Customers who have replied have then been asked for money.
My Quick Loan offered advice to customers to avoid becoming a victim.
The spokesperson added: “Check the Email Address: A significant red flag is the use of generic email domains like Gmail or Outlook. Legitimate loan companies typically have their own domain in email addresses.
“No Admin Fees or Money Upfront: We do not charge any fees for our services. If you’re asked to pay an admin fee or money upfront, it’s a scam.
“FCA Authorisation: Verify if the loan company is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
“Professional Website: Legitimate companies have professional websites with clear information and contact details.
“Secure Connection: Look for ‘https://’ in the web address, signifying a secure connection.
“Physical Address and Contact Number: Genuine companies have physical office addresses and reachable contact numbers.
“Unsolicited Offers: Be wary of unsolicited loan offers, especially if they seem too good to be true.
“Spelling and Grammar: Poor spelling and grammar in communications can be a sign of a scam.
“Ranking in Google Search: Find websites ranking in Google search, it is not easy to rank in Google Search and scammers wouldn’t do it.”
READ MORE: Famous toyboy husband, 25, and wife, 62, ‘scammed out of £7,000 by surrogate’
