Scammers are criminals who pretend to be from well-known organisations to convince people to give them money or to get inside their homes. This can be worrying – but there are things you can do to protect yourself.
Find out how to:
- Check our staff are genuine
- Spot and avoid external scams
- Get help if you’re worried
Verify our staff
- Our staff and contractors will always carry identification so ask to see this before you let them in.
- Never give money or personal information to someone who knocks on the door.
- Our own repairs teams will always be in uniform and have an SNG van. Our contractors should also be in uniform.
- When booking a repair, the contact centre will confirm the booking so that you know when to expect a visit from our staff or a contractor.
- If we’re sending contractors for other work, we’ll usually have made an appointment with you or written to you beforehand to explain who to expect and what work will be carried out.
If you have any doubts about a visitor from SNG, then please ask them to wait outside and ring us on 0300 373 3000 (for London and East customers) or 0300 5000 926 (for South and West customers). A legitimate visitor won’t mind waiting outside or coming back later while you check their details.
- When you’re contacted by one of our advisors on the phone, they should state their name, role and the reason for the call.
- If we’re calling you back after you’ve already spoken to an advisor, we will provide background information regarding your previous call, so you know it is really us calling.
- If you have requested a repair that you will need to pay for, we do ask for a deposit payment before we approve the work. But payment is taken over our automated payment line, so we won’t ask you for your card or other sensitive details.
- We may occasionally speak to you for your bank account details (such as to set up a Direct Debit or make a refund) but you will already be aware if this is the case. We would never ring and ask to take a payment over the phone or need the long card number from a bank card or CVV security code on the back of the card.
Requests from SNG for you to send us photos will always be:
- about an issue you are already talking to us about
- from a person you’ve already had contact with from SNG
- from a mobile number you're expecting (we'll always tell you the number, so you know it can be trusted)
If, during a call, you feel uncomfortable or are unsure if you are speaking to us, hang up and us call us on 0300 373 3000 (for London and East customers) or 0300 5000 926 (for South and West customers). You can then speak to an advisor and confirm if the previous call was legitimate.
Texts about a refund from SNG will always:
- come ‘From SNG’ – NOT a mobile number
- be from a named contact
- ask you to call our central customer phone numbers (so that forms can be sent out and filled in)
If you have any doubts about whether a text that says it’s from SNG is genuine, please do not click any links in the text and contact us first to verify if it's really from us.
Other fraud, scams and exploitation
External fraudsters are people who try to trick you into giving away money or personal details. They might call, email, text, or even knock on your door pretending to help or offer something you need. If something feels off, trust your instincts. Don’t share your details and check with us or a trusted source first.
Loan sharks are people who lend money illegally. They don’t have permission from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to do this.
At first, borrowing from them might seem like a quick fix. But loan sharks often:
- Charge very high interest rates
- Add extra fees you didn’t agree to
- Use threats or intimidation to make you pay
Getting involved with a loan shark can trap you in debt and fear. If you think someone is a loan shark, or you’ve borrowed from one, help is out there.
Signs you might be dealing with a loan shark
Look out for these warning signs:
- No paperwork or clear loan terms
- Very high interest rates
- Sudden changes to repayment amounts
- Threats or pressure to pay
If any of these sound familiar, it could be a loan shark.
Stop Loan Sharks
We’ve teamed up with Stop Loan Sharks 
, a service run by the England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT). They investigate loan sharks and give confidential support to anyone affected.
Since 2004, they have helped over 32,500 people and written off over £91.6 million worth of illegal debt.
How to get help
- 24/7 Helpline: Call 0300 555 2222 for free, confidential advice.
- WhatsApp: Message 07700 102773.
- Online: Report a loan shark securely at stoploansharks.co.uk.
- Text: Send details to 07860 022 116.
Support is available for victims, friends, and family. Everything is kept confidential.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) receives hundreds of calls a year from consumers who have been asked to pay a fee for a loan or credit they then never receive. The FCA suggests it could be a scam if you're asked to: pay an upfront fee, pay quickly or pay in an unusual way (such as vouchers or money transfer).
Visit the FCA loan fee fraud webpage for more information on warning signs, how to protect yourself and how to report a scam.
We aim to provide an excellent service to all of our customers and to put things right when we’ve got them wrong. Housing disrepair claims are a legitimate way that customers can hold us to account but there are rising concerns about some firms who are targeting social housing tenants in unacceptable ways and preying on vulnerable people. The Government is currently looking into this .
Claim chasers (who aren't even solicitors themselves but make money from passing on 'leads') also often use aggressive or misleading tactics to pressure peoples into unnecessary claims, which can lead to legal complications and financial stress. They frequently exploit vulnerable individuals, promising quick compensation while hiding the risks of costs and the potential for lengthy disputes.
If our service has fallen short, please contact us directly. Our internal complaints process includes financial compensation if appropriate - without you needing to pay part of any compensation to someone else.
If you ever receive a suspicious phone call claiming to be from your bank, it's important to act with caution. Scammers can be highly convincing, but there's a simple way to protect yourself.
Dial 159 - a UK-wide short code that connects you directly to your bank's fraud prevention team. Using 159 is:
- fast - Get through to your bank quickly
- secure - Avoid giving information to potential scammers
- trusted - Supported by UK banks
Just like 101 for the police or 111 for the NHS, 159 is a trusted service designed to keep you safe. It helps stops scams before they happen by giving you a direct, secure line to your bank.
For more information and support on fraud
- Action Fraud is the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime
where you can report fraud if you’ve been scammed, defrauded or experienced cyber crime. - The Which website also has some useful information on how to check if calls from certain numbers are likely to be genuine .
- Contact Stop Loan Sharks for confidential advice and support.
Spot the signs of a scam
Be cautious if someone:
- Pressures you to act quickly
- Asks for passwords, PINs or bank details
- Wants you to click an unexpected link
- Claims you've won a prize you weren't expecting
- Tells you to keep the conversation secret
Stop. Check. Protect. If you're unsure, contact SNG or a trusted organisation before taking any action.
What to do if you're unsure
If you're not sure whether a call, email, text or visitor is genuine:
- Stop and take a moment before responding
- Don't click links or share personal information
- Contact the organisation using a trusted phone number or website
- If the contact claims to be from SNG, call us directly to check
SNG will never ask for your password or PIN, ask you to transfer money to another account, or pressure you to make an immediate payment. If in doubt, contact us directly.
For more information and support on fraud
- Action Fraud is the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime
where you can report fraud if you’ve been scammed, defrauded or experienced cyber crime. - The Which website also has some useful information on how to check if calls from certain numbers are likely to be genuine .
- Contact Stop Loan Sharks for confidential advice and support.