30/12/2013
Persistent Alarm Sales
Warwickshire Trading Standards are again warning consumers about
persistent high pressure alarm sales staff selling door to door and over the
phone. ‘Free’ alarms are often offered but consumers are then hit with
expensive installation and monitoring fees that may be completely inappropriate
for their needs. Seek advice on home security from your local Police Crime
Prevention Officer or Neighbourhood Watch.
30/12/2013
Bogus Tax Refund
Beware of bogus HMRC tax refund emails, warn Warwickshire
Trading Standards. The emails, which continue to circulate, falsely claim the
recipient is owed an £868.50 tax refund. These emails contain links to bogus
websites designed to steal personal or financial information and infect your
computer with viruses. Never open an attachment or follow a web link in a suspicious
email. For more information on phishing scams visit: http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/security/online-privacy/phishing-symptoms.aspx
30/12/2013
Bogus ‘Stop Cold Call’ Warning
Warwickshire Trading Standards has received several reports from
consumers who were cold called and offered a ‘service’ which would stop cold
calls, either for a one-off payment or a regular direct debit. One consumer was
asked to pay £46 by credit card and another £1 per month by direct debit. Some callers
even offered to attach a box to the consumer’s telephone line.
Trading Standards understand that many of these approaches come
from unscrupulous traders who, after taking payment simply register the
consumer with the free Telephone Preference Service. Consumers can register themselves
for free at: http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/index.html
There are some genuine devices that can reduce the number of unwanted
phone calls you receive, but carefully research these before you buy.
Never
reveal your bank or credit card details to unexpected callers.
30/12/2013 Timeshare
Points Warning
Owners
of timeshare properties desperate to sell them are warned to beware of approaches
by unscrupulous traders offering to ‘deal with their timeshare sale’ in return for
purchasing credits which they claim can be used to pay for holidays products,
or held on to for a period and re-sold to recoup the initial outlay or even
make a ‘profit’.
Consumers
should be aware that the holiday products these credits can be used to purchase
may be more expensive than equivalent holidays available to the general public.
Further, if consumers hold on to them there is no guarantee that they could be
re-sold or indeed hold any value. Finally, the trader may not be able to sell
your timeshare. There is virtually no market for them. Indeed some owners end
up paying timeshare operators to take the timeshare (and their liabilities) off
their hands.
There
are numerous timeshare seller scams. If you have unsuccessfully tried to sell
your timeshare before it is likely you will be targeted. For more information visit:
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/nireland/consumer_ni/travel_leisure_and_food_e/consumer_holidays_e/consumer_problems_with_timeshares_e/you_want_to_sell_your_timeshare.htm
30/12/2013 Energy Cold
Call Scam
If
you have been enquiring about free and low cost energy saving schemes, beware
of unexpected phone calls from fraudsters offering cheques to pay for such
schemes in return for the consumer supplying their credit card details. These
are advanced fee frauds. Never provide your card details to unexpected callers.
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12/12/2013 PPI Claim
Back Scam
A
Warwickshire consumer reported receiving an unexpected phone call asking if he
had any outstanding PPI due. The caller then phone again stating that they had
£5000 for him and would send a cheque if he first sent them £250 via a Ukash
voucher. The consumer did not send any money.
This
is a typical advanced fee fraud where the caller claims the consumer will have
to pay some money up front in order to receive a higher amount in return. That
money is never forthcoming. Ukash vouchers are often requested as they are
almost untraceable.
For
more information on scams visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams
12/12/2013 Driving
Licence Application Warning
A
consumer reported that they had requested a replacement driving licence which normally
costs £20 but had been charged £85 after mistaking a ‘checking’ website for the
genuine Government website. These ‘checking’ websites often appear above the official
website on Google searches.
Whenever
you are applying for, or renewing any form of official Government document, go
to the official www.gov.uk website first.
12/12/2013 Door to Door
TV Warning
Warwickshire
Trading Standards is warning residents to beware of door to door traders
selling televisions across the County.
Trading
Standards Officers have received complaints from worried consumers that the
televisions might be stolen or unreliable.
Warwickshire
Trading Standards advises consumers never to buy from unexpected doorstep
callers, even if the product appears to be a bargain and to keep their doors
firmly shut.
Unscrupulous
door step sellers will use high pressure sales techniques to sell their
products and are unlikely to provide the consumer with their real name or
address, making it almost impossible for buyers to enforce their consumer
rights if the product goes wrong and needs to be replaced or repaired.
Consumers
are urged to only buy goods or services from businesses they know and trust
12/12/2013 Rogue Tarmac
Gang
A
Warwickshire resident contacted the service to complain about an approach by a
tarmac gang. The approach was typical of how rogue traders operate.
The
rogue trader first called and stated that he could re-tarmac the consumer’s driveway
for £1250. The resident stated that they were not interested and the caller
handed them a leaflet and went away. Later that day he returned, claiming he
was a reputable company and offering a lower price. Again the resident turned that
rogue trader away. He then returned again about 30 min later and asked if the
consumer wanted to ‘see’ the product. To get rid of the trader the consumer
agreed and the trader then dumped a large amount of tarmac on the resident’s driveway.
The trader refused to remove the tarmac and got very aggressive when asked to
do it. No money was paid.
Consumers
are advised not to open the door to unexpected callers or buy from them. Do not
engage rogue traders in conversation. Keep
your door firmly shut.
Report rogue traders on 08454 040506
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24/10/2013 HMRC Tax Scam
A
number of Warwickshire consumers have reported to the Trading Standards Service
receiving scam emails, phone calls or letters, falsely claiming to be from HMRC.
They are either claiming the consumer is owed a tax rebate and requesting
personal or financial details, or saying that the consumer has a tax bill to
pay and directing them to a bogus website.
24/10/2013 Phone
Recycling Warning
Warwickshire
Trading Standards are warning consumers that they may not receive the price
quoted by some mobile phone recyclers – and sometimes no money at all! One
consumer reported being quoted £122 for his phone in advance but on sending the
phone away was then only offered £45. He complained and the trader increased
the offer to £85 only to receive nothing at all! The trader then stopped
answering his calls and disappeared. Ensure you only use traders you know and
trust.
24/10/2013 Scam ‘Timeshare’ Buyer
A consumer
reported receiving an unexpected phone call from someone offering to buy his
timeshare property. The consumer agreed a price but the caller then began to
ask for large up-front payments of £800+. Consumers with timeshares are advised
to be very wary of offers to purchase them.
24/10/2013 ‘Free’ Diet Pills Warning
A
Warwickshire consumer contacted Trading Standards after paying for a ‘free’ trial
of diet pills online. The consumer paid £4.95 +PP for two sets of bills. However,
she was then billed £89 and then a further £95. She may have unwittingly signed
up to a subscription with a US based company! In such cases, the consumer may
be able to get their money back by asking their bank to reverse the payments.
Consumers in this situation should contact the business quickly to complain and
cancel the subscription. They should also cancel their bank card to prevent
further payments being made.
24/10/2013 Pushy Door to Door Sales
People Rugby
The Trading
Standards Service has received reports of pushy door to door sales people
selling aerial photos of people's properties in the Rugby area. The callers
were described as being pushy, ignoring residents ‘no cold caller’ signs.
24/10/2013 More Phishing Scams
A number of
consumers have recently reported email phishing scams.
One targeted Barclays
Bank customers and suggested their debit cards had been compromised. The
phishing email, that is addressed to ‘Dear Valued Customer’ (the scammers
rarely know your name) asked the recipient to login in to a bogus website. Those
that do have their personal and financial information stolen! Similar phishing
emails have appeared falsely claiming to be from BT and Yahoo. Never access a business
website via a link in an email. Always type the businesses’ genuine web address
in to your browser.
Please
feel free to cascade this information to whomever you feel appropriate
(including using the information in your newsletters/websites etc.).
If you have any information you wish to provide to
Warwickshire Trading Standards Service, either for our information, or
to appear in future email alerts, please email me.
For more information on scams, visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams
Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/warkstss
Simon Cripwell
Trading Standards Officer
Warwickshire Trading Standards Service
Communities
Warwickshire County Council
Old Budbrooke Road Warwick CV35 7DP
Tel: 01926 414039
Mob: 07771 975570
Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/warkstss
My normal working days are Monday to Thursday
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