Stay Safe Online – Maximise Battery Life, Current scams
Maximise battery life for your devices by ensuring you use the correct charger. Tablets and laptops typically have chargers with a higher Wattage (W) value, as they have bigger batteries to fill (which is why your phone charger probably won’t work with your laptop). How quickly your phone goes from zero to a hundred in terms of battery life depends on both the watts coming from the charger and the maximum number of watts your phone can take. The charger that was supplied with your phone, tablet or laptop will be at the correct wattage for that specific device and chargers from the big brand names have been checked to perfection to ensure an optimum and steady charge – don’t be tempted to use cheaper ones.
Newer Mac devices have ‘Optimised Battery Charging’, which reduces the wear on your battery and improves its lifespan by reducing the time your iPhone spends fully charged. When this feature is enabled, your iPhone will delay charging past 80%. If you don’t have this facility, try to keep devices charged at between 60-80% as much of the time as possible and try not to let them die then charge from scratch – it’s better to keep lithium-ion batteries topped up with lots of small charges.
Charge your phone on a flat hard surface which dissipates heat. Overheating damages your phone.
For more information, visit https://www.wired.com/story/phone-charger-tips/
Current Scams:
Bank Card Refund Scam
Scammers are using social media to offer you fake bank refunds. This scam shares a fraudulent screenshot showing amounts from £1,289 to £1,855 being deposited into someone’s account. The screenshot is shared next to a message that reads: ‘NEED PEOPLE WHO BANK WITH BARCLAYS’ ‘Refunds on debit card purchases for last 18 month. £500 – £20k.’ This scam tempts you into parting with your bank details, which the scammer will use to set up their device on your account, giving them access to your bank account. The scammer then uses the banking app to dispute a transaction and get a refund.
Fake cost of living payments and energy rebates
The Department for Work and Pensions has issued a warning about scams regarding cost-of-living payments as well as energy and council tax rebates. One of these scams comes as a text message asking you to claim or apply for the payment. These have been followed by emails circulating asking you to call a fake number to make a claim for the payment. Don’t be tempted by these texts or calls, most cost-of-living payments will be automatically transferred to you.
Sign up for Which? Scam alerts: https://campaigns.which.co.uk/scam-alert-service/ Find details of recent scams here: www.actionfraud.police.uk and on our Facebook page: Rainford-it-stay safe online