According to UK Finance, financial fraudsters stole over £600 million in the first half of 2025. Furthermore, data published by NatWest revealed that more than 7 in 10 people were targeted by scammers in a twelve-month period.
As someone playing rugby at the highest level, you may be more likely to be targeted by unscrupulous financial scammers for several reasons.
First, you may be in the public eye, particularly in your hometown. There may also be a perception that you are financially inexperienced. Plus, many people will have an idea of your earnings, given how average Premiership rugby salaries are often reported in the media.
That is why it is important to be aware of these four common scams used to target players.
1. The promise of big returns from an investment opportunity
This type of financial scam is usually referred to as a “get-rich-quick” investment scheme. Sadly, the only person who actually gets rich is the scammer.
You will be offered an investment opportunity with assurances of large returns on your outlay.
In reality, these schemes may be completely bogus, so you will never see your money again. Alternatively, they may be a very high-risk investment with substantial commission or charges for the “salesman” who contacted you.
Offers of this kind are usually described as a short-term opportunity, so you will be rushed into making a decision.
You might be told that other players have benefited from such a scheme, which can make you feel like you are missing out if you do not take advantage of the offer.
2. Being asked to move your money to a “safe” account
You may receive a call from someone who sounds reassuring and supportive. They will say they are calling from your bank to tell you that there has been a data breach and many accounts, including yours, are being targeted.
Because of this, you will be advised to protect your funds from fraudsters by moving them to a new, “safe” account.
The caller will try to keep you off balance by stressing the urgency. To add to your confused state, they will often call late in the evening when you are more likely to be tired or less alert.
After asking you to confirm security details and hand over sensitive information, the caller will transfer your money. But, as expected, it will not be placed in a “safe” account at all.
3. Fake requests for financial help
This type of scam can take many forms.
You may get a text or WhatsApp message, allegedly from a friend or family member in distress. They will say they have lost their wallet or purse and need you to transfer money to their account.
Again, you will be asked to act urgently to prevent you from thinking clearly and checking the source of the request.
A more sophisticated variant of this scam involves the perpetrator befriending you to gain your trust over an extended period. They will then leverage your relationship into a plea for financial help.
4. Receiving communications allegedly from a trusted company
You will be contacted by scammers impersonating a well-known organisation such as an energy company, a service provider, or HMRC.
The scammers will claim that you owe them money, perhaps through an unpaid bill or fine that you need to pay urgently to avoid legal action.
These are often known as “phishing” scams: attempts to hook personal information to use for fraudulent purposes.
Additionally, they may try to reel you in by saying you are due a refund and asking you to share your personal or banking information to receive the payment.
According to NatWest, this is the most common scam with 37% of people reporting that they were targeted in this way in a twelve-month period.
There are some straightforward ways you can protect yourself from scammers
Falling victim to a financial scammer can be both distressing and costly. However, there are some very simple steps you can follow to protect yourself.
Always verify the details of people contacting you
You should always avoid clicking on links in unsolicited text messages or emails.
Even if a message looks legitimate, verify the information if you have any doubts at all.
Be cautious about sharing personal information
Your personal and financial information is valuable, which is why scammers are always trying to target it.
Bear in mind that a scam may take time to come to fruition, and the perpetrator may piece together information about you from various sources. Because of this, you should always be on your guard even with seemingly innocent requests. For example, the year you were born or the company you bank with.
Use different methods of sharing information
You never know who has access to your text and phone messages. As a result, you should avoid sending banking information using non-encrypted methods where possible.
If you do need to share information with someone you trust, it is advisable to use several communication methods. For example, you could text your bank account number and provide the sort code by WhatsApp, or even verbally in a phone call.
By doing this, you can reduce the risk of sensitive information falling into the wrong hands.
Be on your guard if something sounds urgent
It may seem counterintuitive to slow down if something appears urgent. However, many scammers rely on you making rash decisions, which is why they use high-pressure tactics to make you act without thinking.
Instead, take a breath and think before committing to anything. A genuine caller will not be offended if you ask for time to collect your thoughts and closely check anything you are being offered or asked to do.
Always remember the golden rule
When it comes to investment opportunities, the golden rule is that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
It is worth sharing this rule, as well as the other information in this article, with your family. In particular, speak to older relatives who may be less familiar with technology and the methods scammers use.
Get in touch
If you believe you may have been the victim of a financial scam, please get in touch. You may also want to report the scam to Action Fraud.
Likewise, if you have any queries about protecting your money and planning your financial future, please email or call us.
You can email enquiries@dbl-am.com or call 01625 529 499 to speak to us today.
Please note
This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial or legal advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.
All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.
The value of your investments (and any income from them) can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
Investments should be considered over the longer term and should fit in with your overall attitude to risk and financial circumstances.