16-09-2016 01:10 PM BST
A Warwickshire resident reported receiving three unexpected phone
calls from someone claiming to be calling to check their postcode!
Never provide any personal or financial information to unexpected callers. Fraudsters gather information which can then be used to commit crime, including identity theft.
Never provide any personal or financial information to unexpected callers. Fraudsters gather information which can then be used to commit crime, including identity theft.
23-09-2016 09:26 AM BST
Warwickshire Trading Standards is warning local residents living in
Rugby and more specifically in Bilton and Overslade to beware of
itinerant door step visits from rogue traders offering roofing
'services'.
Trading Standards and Warwickshire Police have been dealing with incidents and will be distributing further advice and information to some local residents today.
Residents are advised not to buy goods or services from unexpected doorstep callers.
If in any doubt, do not open the door.
If you need to report a rogue trader, please phone Trading Standards on 03454 040506
More information: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/consumeradvice
Trading Standards and Warwickshire Police have been dealing with incidents and will be distributing further advice and information to some local residents today.
Residents are advised not to buy goods or services from unexpected doorstep callers.
If in any doubt, do not open the door.
If you need to report a rogue trader, please phone Trading Standards on 03454 040506
More information: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/consumeradvice
07-10-2016 01:02 PM BST
A new campaign has launched today to raise awareness of scams and encourage people to take a stand against them.
Scams often target people in vulnerable situations - the Friends Against Scams campaign aims to protect and prevent these people from becoming victims of scams by empowering communities to ‘Take a Stand Against Scams’.
Each year scams cause between £5bn and £10bn worth of detriment to UK consumers. In addition to the financial impact, scams can have a severe emotional and psychological impact on victims.
For more information and to complete an online awarenss session on scams, please visit: Friends Against Scams
Scams often target people in vulnerable situations - the Friends Against Scams campaign aims to protect and prevent these people from becoming victims of scams by empowering communities to ‘Take a Stand Against Scams’.
Each year scams cause between £5bn and £10bn worth of detriment to UK consumers. In addition to the financial impact, scams can have a severe emotional and psychological impact on victims.
For more information and to complete an online awarenss session on scams, please visit: Friends Against Scams
07-10-2016 12:30 PM BST
Warwickshire Trading Standards has been alerted by local businesses
in Rugby to a man going from business to business claiming to be from
Warwickshire County Council collecting money for a lung cancer charity.
He was on foot and carrying a bag with money it it.
Warwickshire County Council are unaware of any such collection and warn businesses to be on their guard.
Warwickshire County Council are unaware of any such collection and warn businesses to be on their guard.
20-10-2016 10:57 AM BST
Buying a used car? Warwickshire Trading Standards are warning
consumers to think twice before paying deposits to hold vehicles they
are interested in buying.
Trading Standards has received an increasing number if complaints from car buyers who paid 'holding deposits' for vehicles which were then either sold to someone else before they could view it, or the vehicle was markedly different to the advert. In both cases they should have received their deposit back, but did not.
Trading Standards has received an increasing number if complaints from car buyers who paid 'holding deposits' for vehicles which were then either sold to someone else before they could view it, or the vehicle was markedly different to the advert. In both cases they should have received their deposit back, but did not.
- Make a scam/rogue trader complaint to Trading Standards via on 03454 040506.
- Make a scam/rogue trader complaint to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506.
- Warwickshire Trading Standards Website Facebook Twitter
- Sign up to scam alerts at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams
- Please feel free to pass on or re-publish this email alert
20-10-2016 10:27 AM BST
Purchasers of second hand cars advertised on websites are warned to
beware of a new scam involving the use of false vehicle registration
numbers.
Consumers can now find a lot about the car they are interested in buying by putting the vehicle's registration number in to a free Government website, including information on a vehicle's mileage and condition.
This has led some unscrupulous sellers of dodgy vehicles to remove or obscure the licence plate of the cars they are selling on photographs posted on the Internet.
One Warwickshire resident expressed an interest in a vehicle that was being sold on a popular Internet classified advert website. The vehicle was shown without the number plates visible, so the buyer contacted the seller to ask for the registration number. The seller supplied him with a registration number and the buyer carried out a range of free and low cost checks on the vehicle. Satisfied with the result he then paid for the vehicle online and went to collect the car. When he arrived it turned out the the seller had given him a registration number for another vehicle of the same make/model, but not the one he had purchased. This car, the one he had paid for, was in a very poor condition with a high mileage!
Trading Standards advise consumers to be wary of purchasing vehicles without seeing them first and be suspicious of any advert where the licence plate of the vehicle cannot be seen affixed to the vehicle.
The new 'check before you buy' free web tools are now an important weapon in a car buyer's armoury to protect them against buying vehicles in a poor state that may be clocked or even unroadworthy. Some additional low cost checks can also help ensure that the car is not stolen or on finance.
Consumers can now find a lot about the car they are interested in buying by putting the vehicle's registration number in to a free Government website, including information on a vehicle's mileage and condition.
This has led some unscrupulous sellers of dodgy vehicles to remove or obscure the licence plate of the cars they are selling on photographs posted on the Internet.
One Warwickshire resident expressed an interest in a vehicle that was being sold on a popular Internet classified advert website. The vehicle was shown without the number plates visible, so the buyer contacted the seller to ask for the registration number. The seller supplied him with a registration number and the buyer carried out a range of free and low cost checks on the vehicle. Satisfied with the result he then paid for the vehicle online and went to collect the car. When he arrived it turned out the the seller had given him a registration number for another vehicle of the same make/model, but not the one he had purchased. This car, the one he had paid for, was in a very poor condition with a high mileage!
Trading Standards advise consumers to be wary of purchasing vehicles without seeing them first and be suspicious of any advert where the licence plate of the vehicle cannot be seen affixed to the vehicle.
The new 'check before you buy' free web tools are now an important weapon in a car buyer's armoury to protect them against buying vehicles in a poor state that may be clocked or even unroadworthy. Some additional low cost checks can also help ensure that the car is not stolen or on finance.
- Make a scam/rogue trader complaint to Trading Standards via on 03454 040506.
- Make a scam/rogue trader complaint to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506.
- Warwickshire Trading Standards Website Facebook Twitter
- Sign up to scam alerts at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams
- Please feel free to pass on or re-publish this email alert
20-10-2016 09:42 AM BST
Warwickshire residents are warned to beware of unexpected doorstep
callers offering 'free, Government funded' cavity wall insulation and
other energy efficiency measures.
Trading Standards are concerned that some unscrupulous traders may be using the offer of 'free' insulation to convince homeowners to sign up to energy efficiency measures that may not be appropriate for their property and may end up costing them money.
Funding for energy saving measures may be available to some residents if they are on certain benefits and own or privately rent their home, often via their energy supplier.
The Government has posted information on energy saving improvements and eligibility criteria on its website. Consumers can also phone the Energy Saving Advice Service on 0300 123 1234 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).
It can be very difficult to tell a good trader from a bad one on the doorstep. Trading Standards urges homeowners not to be seduced by the offer of something free on the doorstep. Residents should instead speak to the Energy Saving Advice Service to get the facts.
It can be difficult telling a good trader from a bad one on the doorstep - never buy goods or services from unexpected callers!
Trading Standards are concerned that some unscrupulous traders may be using the offer of 'free' insulation to convince homeowners to sign up to energy efficiency measures that may not be appropriate for their property and may end up costing them money.
Funding for energy saving measures may be available to some residents if they are on certain benefits and own or privately rent their home, often via their energy supplier.
The Government has posted information on energy saving improvements and eligibility criteria on its website. Consumers can also phone the Energy Saving Advice Service on 0300 123 1234 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).
It can be very difficult to tell a good trader from a bad one on the doorstep. Trading Standards urges homeowners not to be seduced by the offer of something free on the doorstep. Residents should instead speak to the Energy Saving Advice Service to get the facts.
It can be difficult telling a good trader from a bad one on the doorstep - never buy goods or services from unexpected callers!
04-11-2016 08:58 AM GMT
You've Been Summoned!
Fraudsters are sending out a wave of scam emails purporting to be from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that claim you have to appear in court.
Concerned members of the public have reported receiving the email entitled “You’ve been witness summoned to court”.
The email entices people to click on a link to view their start time/case details. This link is likely to lead to malware.
This email has no connection to the CPS and anyone receiving the email should not download any attachments or click on any links.
Fraudsters are sending out a wave of scam emails purporting to be from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that claim you have to appear in court.
Concerned members of the public have reported receiving the email entitled “You’ve been witness summoned to court”.
The email entices people to click on a link to view their start time/case details. This link is likely to lead to malware.
This email has no connection to the CPS and anyone receiving the email should not download any attachments or click on any links.
10-11-2016 12:22 PM GMT
A consumer reported receiving a phone call from someone claiming to represent the Telephone Preference Service. The
caller asked the consumer to confirm their details, (the caller knew
the name and address of the consumer) and then asked the consumer for
the visa card details that were used when the consumer registered with
the TPS.
These are bogus phone calls. The TPS is a free service. Consumers do not need to provide a debit or credit card to register and no one from the TPS would ever phone a consumer to confirm their name and address, nor ask for bank account or card details.
Never reveal personal or financial information to cold callers. These are criminal gangs that are only interested in stealing your account information or setting up direct debits for bogus services.
These are bogus phone calls. The TPS is a free service. Consumers do not need to provide a debit or credit card to register and no one from the TPS would ever phone a consumer to confirm their name and address, nor ask for bank account or card details.
Never reveal personal or financial information to cold callers. These are criminal gangs that are only interested in stealing your account information or setting up direct debits for bogus services.
- Make a scam/rogue trader complaint to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506.
- Warwickshire Trading Standards Website Facebook Twitter
- Sign up to scam alerts at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams
- Please feel free to pass on or re-publish this email alert
10-11-2016 12:13 PM GMT
Warwickshire Trading Standards are issuing further warnings about the HMRC phone scam after receiving more complaints today.
Recipients of these phone calls are told that they owe money to HMRC and are threatened with legal action, bankruptcy or a visit from the Police or a bailiff if they don't pay up.
Some victims have paid these bogus debts with itunes vouchers.
Many Warwickshire consumers have reported persistent and aggressive HMRC scam phone calls and text messages. Some phone calls are 'live' and some recorded.
If you receive a unexpected phone call from someone claiming to represent HMRC demanding money, put the phone down. If you believe the phone call to be genuine, phone HMRC back on a publicly listed phone number.
Recipients of these phone calls are told that they owe money to HMRC and are threatened with legal action, bankruptcy or a visit from the Police or a bailiff if they don't pay up.
Some victims have paid these bogus debts with itunes vouchers.
Many Warwickshire consumers have reported persistent and aggressive HMRC scam phone calls and text messages. Some phone calls are 'live' and some recorded.
If you receive a unexpected phone call from someone claiming to represent HMRC demanding money, put the phone down. If you believe the phone call to be genuine, phone HMRC back on a publicly listed phone number.
11-11-2016 02:45 PM GMT
Older residents are warned to beware of high pressure cold calls from
companies selling mobility equipment and furniture. The cold callers
falsely claim they are carrying out a survey on behalf of the NHS before
trying to organise visits to the consumer's home on the pretence of
delivering a 'free gift' and measuring up for new products.
The cold caller's telephone numbers may appear local, but they are unlikely to be located in Warwickshire. They are reported to be very persistent and may phone several times.
Residents are advised to put the phone down.
The cold caller's telephone numbers may appear local, but they are unlikely to be located in Warwickshire. They are reported to be very persistent and may phone several times.
Residents are advised to put the phone down.
23-11-2016 02:08 PM GMT
Fraudsters are again phoning Warwickshire residents pretending to represent TalkTalk.
The fraudsters, (who appear to be based in call centres in the Far East), are known to make a number of false claims, including:
They can often be quite persuasive and sometimes aggressive on the phone.
Always put the phone down. Never provide remote computer access to any cold caller.
The fraudsters, (who appear to be based in call centres in the Far East), are known to make a number of false claims, including:
- there is a problem with your Internet reception
- there is a problem with your router
- a file downloaded on to your computer needs to be 'cleaned'
- there is a virus on your computer that needs removing
- you are experiencing 'technical issues'
They can often be quite persuasive and sometimes aggressive on the phone.
Always put the phone down. Never provide remote computer access to any cold caller.
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