4 PENSION AND INVESTMENT SCAMS

These scams can be devastating, says Brooks. “We’ve heard from people losing hundreds of thousands of pounds – sometimes their entire final salary pension – so it’s really important people are vigilant about anyone who contacts you out of the blue and starts offering high investment returns, loans or cashback opportunities.” If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

There are lots of red flags to look out for: an offer of being able to get at your cash before age 55; the suggestion that you move all your money into a single investment; a courier being sent to your door with urgent paperwork to be signed; a firm only having a PO box address and mobile phone number as their contact details.