Latest Scam Reports Received
Current Page - 1st March to 31st December 2011
Last Updated: Saturday 31st December, 2011 at 7:35:25
Consumer and Business scam alerts
(Latest Final) - SCAM WARNING.31st December 2011.
SCAM WARNING week ending 10th December 2011.
Co-op Banking scam - New
Latest emails scams for wk ending 10.12.11. including the above.
SCAM WARNING - Beware of this HMRC scam that's doing the rounds again (fist seen in back in 2009)
Beware of this HMRC scam that's doing the rounds again. It's been around for a while, but can look quite convincing. They attach a refund form which entices you to enter your credit card details.
Latest emails scams for wk ending 03.12.11. including the above.
25th November 2011 - Safety Alert - Illegal vodka brand "Drop Vodka".
Norfolk Trading Standards are warning consumers about an illegal brand of vodka called Drop Vodka which has been discovered on sale in several UK cities. Trading Standards has also received reports that the product has been on sale in Norwich.
Consumers are advised not to purchase or drink the vodka because it is not registered by any company in the UK and could be harmful.
Pictures of the two types of Drop Vodka, one labelled "bottled in Italy" and one labelled "bottled in France" are pictured below.
Tests carried out by other local authorities have identified substances that could harm people's health. Other tests have found that the product does not contain enough alcohol to legally be called vodka.
If consumers see any bottles of Drop Vodka on sale in shops or pubs in Norfolk they should contact Norfolk Trading Standards through Consumer Direct via their online form or by calling 08454 04 05 06.
Protect your business from being scammed - 18 November 2011.
- Be on your guard. If it seems "too good to be true" it probably is!
- Limit the number of staff allowed to approve purchases. Make sure all other staff know that they can't discuss orders or payments.
- Never agree to anything in a hurry. Remember it's possible to make a legally binding contract over the phone but very hard to prove what was said and agreed. Generally, it's one person's word against another's.
- Do some research on the goods or services being offered?
- Read the small print thoroughly before signing paperwork so you know what you are agreeing to and how much it will cost.
- Keep copies of all paperwork, proof of posting and all other correspondence.
- You don't have to pay unless you agreed to the service and the service has been done properly.
- Remember, if you are threatened with debt collectors or credit "black-listing" only a court can decide if you are liable to pay. Disputes with other businesses will not necessarily affect your credit rating.
- Report scams to the Trading Standards Business Line 0344 800 8013 or email: trading.standards@norfolk.gov.uk
You can also report scams to Action Fraud, the UK's National Fraud Reporting Centre via their online fraud reporting tool or call 0300 123 2040
National Consumer Week 21 - 25 November 2011.
How to avoid scams
- Be on your guard. If it seems to be "too good to be true" it probably is!
- Report scams to Consumer Direct via their online form or call 08454 04 05 06
- You can also report scams to Action Fraud, the UK's National Fraud Reporting Centre via their online fraud reporting tool or call 0300 123 2040
- Never send money upfront. If you do, you will be bombarded with further scams because they will add your name to a "sucker list".
- If you have paid money you are unlikely to get it back but might be covered for fraud if you used a debit or credit card. Contact your bank for details.
- Cut out junk mail and calls by registering with the Mail Preference or Telephone Preference Services. To reduce sale emails register with the e-Mail Preference Service. See these FREE services - see link below:-
- If you receive a scam mailing ignore it and throw it away.
18th November 2011 - "Norfolk consumers warned of Olympic related scams".
As the Olympics approaches, Norfolk County Council Trading Standards Officers are alerting consumers to the emergence of fake merchandise, scams and other fraudulent practices based around London 2012.
'Good Sports Don't Fake It' is the theme of National Consumer Week, which commences on Monday (November 21), with Trading Standards authorities across the country leading awareness of possible Olympic related scams.
Norfolk's Trading Standards Officers are asking residents to consider the following guidance, or visit the following weblinks, in order to:
Avoid Counterfeit Goods.
London 2012 has licensed the production of 2012 merchandised goods to a number of approved manufacturers.
All licensed products will have a secure label attached in the form of an individually numbered hologram. These are normally 20mm x 20mm with the number configuration of 2 letters and 8 digits running down the side. The London 2012 logo appears as a 3D stereogram at the centre of the hologram.
Generally the majority of counterfeited items will be clothing, the licensee for 2012 clothing is Adidas and all clothing will be this brand, with each item bearing the numbered security hologrammed label. If you are offered any Olympic branded items that do not have these security marks, report it to Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.
Avoid unauthorised ticketing websites.
If you are applying for London 2012 tickets, you can use an online website checker to ensure the site you are using is an Authorised Ticket Reseller. A link to the checker can be found by visiting www.london2012.com/ticket-website-checker
Avoid 2012 related scams.
A host of scam descriptions that those organising the Games are already aware of can be found at www.london2012.com/stay-safe-online Ranging from Olympic Ticket Ballots, UK National Lottery Olympic Draw, to an individual's Lloyds TSB account having won them two Tickets for London Olympics 2012 - there is a wide range of scams detailed on the site.
Harry Humphrey, Norfolk County Council's Cabinet member for Community Protection, said:
The 2012 Olympics in London is already gathering global interest, and this will only continue as the event draws closer. Sadly, the number of scams based around London 2012 is also increasing, but a few simple checks will go a long way to helping residents with an interest in the Games to avoid falling foul of related scams. Next year will be a joyous one for this country and our guidance can ensure that the Olympics sticks in the minds of residents for the right reasons.For political comment
- Cllr Harry Humphrey (Cons), Cabinet member for Community Protection on 01945 430539
- Cllr Andrew Boswell (Green) on 01603 613798
- Cllr Colleen Walker (Lab), 01493 782272
BUSINESS SCAMS, Consumer scam alerts
12th November 2011 - Reducing Unwanted Mail, 4 November 2011 - "Postal Scam" Hoax E-mail Update 4 November 2011.
DEFRA is working on a new initiative with the Direct Marketing Association seeking to reduce the amount of unwanted mail households receive, as the UK aims for a zero-waste economy Households should find it easier to prevent unwanted junk mail from being posted through their letterbox when a website launches in April. For more information see:-
PhonepayPlus issued a statement in October 2011 about the chain email concerning an alleged postal scam which is being circulated on the internet. For more information go to:
New Twist on Inheritance Scam - 3 October 2011.
A Norfolk resident received a random email from someone who claims to be terminally ill and is requesting the recipient to help her dispose of her large fortune before she dies.
Undoubtedly the next stage of this scam would be a request for bank or identity details from the recipient.
Beware; this is yet another scam that is trying to make us feel sympathy for the sender.
If you wish to report a scam or obtain further advice please contact Consumer Direct via their online form or to Action Fraud via their online fraud reporting tool.
Diamonds for Sale - 3 October 2011.
Beware of so called "investment opportunities".
A Norfolk resident was cold called and asked if he would like to invest £10,000 in rare diamonds. In many of these types of offers the investment is either non-existent or yields a negative return, if any.
In any type of investment, specialised advice should be sought before parting with any money or bank details.
If you wish to report a scam or obtain further advice please contact Consumer Direct via their online form or to Action Fraud via their online fraud reporting tool.
Received 090911 - Citizens Advice Bureau Scam Survey - 1 September 2011.
The Citizens Advice Bureau is conducting a survey to find out the scams that people are most concerned about. The information will be used by CABs and Trading Standards to see what work they need to undertake.
To find out more and to complete the survey visit: http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/spotthescam.htm
(93/11) 22 August 2011 - The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is warning people to steer clear of scam loan companies who take upfront fees but fail to provide credit or offer clearly unsuitable credit alternatives.
Steer clear of potential loan scams warns OFT
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is warning people to steer clear of scam loan companies who take upfront fees but fail to provide credit or offer clearly unsuitable credit alternatives.
The OFT is alerting consumers after seeing a 50 per cent year-on-year rise in complaints about loan scams, particularly credit applications which involve the consumer 'wiring' or sending upfront fees through money transfer companies. Complaints to OFT-managed advice service Consumer Direct increased from 2,059 between 1 July 2009 and 30 June 2010 to 3,167 during the same period in 2010-11.
The OFT advises people to be vigilant when dealing with or taking calls from loan companies that want upfront fees and who are not interested in consumers' credit history.
The OFT's 'dos and don'ts' to help consumers spot scam loan companies are:
- Dos:
- Do be very careful when dealing with loan companies that charge upfront fees
- Do be cautious if a loan company cold-calls you
- Do some research about the business offering the loan - look for proper phone numbers and physical addresses and ask for information in writing
- Do check that the company has a credit licence on the Consumer Credit Register at www.oft.gov.uk/ConsumerCreditRegister
- Don'ts:
- Don't believe adverts which indicate a loan is 'guaranteed'
- Don't give out your card details 'for security reasons' as the company may then debit your bank account without you knowing
- Don't wire money to loan companies using money transfer services when applying for loans
- Don't go ahead with a loan if a company approves it and then demands a fee before you get the money.
David Fisher, OFT Director of the Consumer Credit Group said:
'We have seen an increase in complaints about companies who are not interested in the applicant's credit history, that ask for payment of fees upfront and then disappear with the money.
'We advise people to check out the company carefully before agreeing to anything, including asking for a landline number, a physical address and doing a search about the company online, as well as checking that they have a valid credit licence.'
'If consumers think they have been approached or tricked by an advance-fee loan scam, they should report it to Consumer Direct.'
In response to a super-complaint from Citizens Advice, in June the OFT published new draft guidance that gives people better protection when dealing with credit brokers.
For advice on loan scams or any other consumer issues call Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 or visit www.direct.gov.uk/consumer. Free, confidential debt advice services are available for those facing financial difficulties through their local Citizens Advice Bureau by visiting www.citizensadvice.co.uk.
Notes 1.The OFT's response to the Citizens Advice super-complaint is available on its project page. 2.Consumer Direct is a government telephone and online service offering information and advice on consumer issues. Consumer Direct is funded by the OFT and delivered in partnership with Local Authority Trading Standards Services.9th August 2011 -
Charity Bags - 8 August 2011
Norfolk County Council Trading Standards are again reminding consumers in Norfolk to check if charity bags are genuine before using them to donate items.
Charity bags are used by a number of legitimate charities to collect clothing and bric-a-brac to raise funds to support their work. Unfortunately this goodwill can be exploited by organised gangs who distribute bags looking for donated goods often claiming to support "charitable work". These goods collected will then be sold for profit rather than to support any charity.
If you receive a charity bag and you want to find out if it is genuine you can:
- Check for the organisation's full name, address and registration number on the bag. Fake charity bags often do not give any information or contact details.
- If the bag has a phone number check if it is real, fake bags often just give mobile phone numbers or numbers that don't work at all.
- If a charity number is given visit the Charity Commission website to check if this number is genuine.
- If a company registration number is given visit the Companies House website to check if it is genuine
- Do you recognise the charity name? Does it give a website, if so go on-line and check the site or what others are saying on the internet about the charity in question.
If you are still not sure that the bag is from a recognised charity but you have items to donate you can either:
- Take your items directly to a charity shop near you
- Contact a charity that you wish to support in advance and see what type of goods they will accept and how to donate these
If you think a charity bag you have received is a fake you can report this to Consumer Direct via their online form or to Action Fraud via their online fraud reporting tool.
New Twist in Loan Scam - 8 August 2011
A consumer in Norwich has fallen victim to a loan scam. The details are similar to the scam we reported on 24 May 2011, and the losses (around £ 800) are similar too.
However, scammers have previously tended to ask for payment by international money transfer services like Western Union and Moneygram. This time, the scammers asked the consumer to use Ukash, an electronic payment service where a consumer can convert cash into a voucher code. Once the voucher code is handed over, the money is lost. Ukash have published a very clear warning on their website: do not send Ukash to anyone asking for a fee to arrange a loan. Ukash is only intended for people who want to spend money at participating suppliers online.
If you have to pay a brokerage or arrangement fee for a loan, you should only do so by debit card or credit card, or by sending a cheque to the company's real address. Always check that the broker or lender has a credit licence (you can check this on the OFT Public Register) and that the address you have been given matches the one on the company's website and/or the one in the Public Register.
Energy Saving Device scam
A Harleston consumer has received a call from someone who claimed to be from her energy supplier British Gas. They offered to supply a device which would save 40% on the consumer's electricity bill, and they took payment of £ 99.
There are many such "energy saving devices', widely available from sellers on the internet and elsewhere, from around £ 15 to over £ 200. Sometimes they are described as "power factor correction' devices or as having something to do with surge or spike protection. In fact, there is no device which can save you significant amounts on your domestic electricity bill by plugging it in. For a technical discussion of how these devices are supposed to work (and why they don't) see this article from the US Department of Commerce.
There are two ways in which you might be able to reduce your electricity bill. The first of these is to switch to a cheaper supplier or a cheaper tariff, and then to check from time to time that your tariff is still competitive. There are many comparison websites, including this one from Consumer Focus. The second way to reduce your bill is to use less electricity. An electricity monitor device (which can cost around £ 25) might help you to identify where you can cut down. You can borrow an electricity monitor from your local library in Norfolk, and some energy suppliers offer them to some customers free of charge.
HM Revenue & Customs Scam "Submit Your Payment Refund!!!!" - 18 July 2011.
Several emails have been received today with a scam as above, DO NOT OPEN The document sent with the email. To find out more ready the following. This was circulated to all members of the "Home Watch" this evening.
If you did not get a copy click on the following:-
Perhaps you are not regested with us! if not go to the Home Page and click on "Complete this simple form"