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Another warning over TV Licensing Scam

Action Fraud are again issuing fresh warnings over an ongoing TV Licensing phishing scam. The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau are continuing to receive high numbers of complaints through their reporting service.

Fraudsters are sending members of the public fake TV Licensing emails, which are designed to steal personal and financial information. Action Fraud has received over 900 crime reports since April 2018,and the losses to victims totals more than £830,000.

Director of Action Fraud, Pauline Smith said: “We are continuing to see reports of fraudsters using fake TV Licensing emails to hook victims in and trick them into parting … Read more

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Warning Over Selling Your Old Computer

Action Fraud are warning people to be careful when looking to make some extra cash selling their old computers.

According to new research from a leading international data security company, found that 42% of used hard drives sold through Ebay still contained sensitive data, which could be compromising. The research found that 15% contained personally identifiable information, even when sellers had stated they had properly wiped the hard drives of all personal and sensitive data.

The study analysed 159 computer drives purchased in the UK, UK, Germany and Finland. The findings highlighted a major concern that whilst sellers recognise … Read more

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2 Years for Illegal investment scheme

In a case bought by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), Virdee was sentenced to 2 years in prison and ordered to carry out 300 hours unpaid community work. Virdee pleaded guilty to 4 charges relating to Deceptive consumers, fraud and, the illegal operation of an unauthorised investment scheme, which raked in over half a million pounds.

Virdee ran a company named Dynamic UK Trades Ltd and, between October 2015 and November 2017, he operated a deposit taking scheme without the required authorisation of the FCA. The FCA say he targeted family members and associates; in one instance he convinced … Read more

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Pension Pushers Sent 2 million spam emails

Grove Pensions Solutions, based in Kent, hired a third party marketing firm to distribute over 2 million emails over a twelve month period, promoting its services. An investigation led by the Information Commissioners Office found that Grove Pension Solutions Ltd was responsible for the two million emails, which were sent between 31 October 2016 and 31 October 2017.

The ICO found that Grove Pensions Solutions had instructed a marketing company and used third party email providers to carry out hosted marketing campaigns, that advertised the company’s services. The company had sought specialist advice from a data protection consultancy as well … Read more

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Warnings Over Tenancy Deposit Scam

Action Fraud is warning the public that fraudsters are posing as landlords to trick people into paying upfront rent into Tenancy Deposit Scheme.

According to Action Fraud, 28 reports were made to the reporting service between December 2018 and February 2019, amounting to a total loss of £19,990.

Reports made to Action Fraud claim fraudsters are posing as genuine landlords of rental properties available online. Before viewing the property, the fraudster convinces the potential tenant to pay a deposit. Incredibly, in some cases reported to the service, victims have been asked to pay a whole month’s rent upfront. The fraudsters… Read more

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New Rules For Rent To Own Shops

The Financial Conduct Authority has announced it will limit the interest that customers pay on rent-to-own products. The FCA says that all goods purchased after 1 April will be included in the price cap. Meaning the interest charged will only be as much as the cost of the product, this includes the cost of credit.

Rent-to-own shops offer people the chance to buy items they need for their home through smaller regular payments. However, once interest charges have been added, some rent-to-own consumers have ended paying more than four times the retail price they would have paid in a non … Read more

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Cold-Calling Scammers Convicted

A cold-calling company based in Swansea has been caught on CCTV pressurising elderly victims into buying boilers that didn’t exist.

Renewable Energy Centre Ltd, offered victims a free boiler under what they said was a government scheme, all people had to do was pay a one-off upfront fee of either £299 or £399.

The company managed to con 1,200 people into paying this fee, but only three households ever acquired their new boilers. The three elderly victims who did receive their new boiler, were actually unknowingly signed up for monthly repayments lasting 12 months.

A four year investigation was carried … Read more

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Bounty Handed Massive Fine For Sharing Information Of Vulnerable Members and Children

The Information Commissioner’s Office has fined Reward, a parenting and pregnancy club £400,000 for illegally sharing the personal information of 14 million members.

An investigation by the Information Commissioners Office found that Bounty had been collecting the personal information through its website and mobile app and from new mothers in hospital.

Bounty is a source of information for new and expectant mothers, they provide pregnancy and parenting tips along with freebies and special offers. They collect personal information for the purpose of signing new members to the information service. But the ICO found that the organisation wasn’t being 100% honest … Read more

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Fraudsters Plead Guilty To Telemarketing Timeshare Scam

Two men from Florida have pleaded guilty in a telemarketing scam that cost 40 victims more than $1.5 Million. Following an investigation by the FBI, Troy Carter and David Bell have both plead guilty to a huge money Washing conspiracy, that saw victims being targeted twice. Both men face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

From 2015 to 2018, Carter and Bell concocted a ruthless scam to target timeshare owners throughout the U.S. and steal their money. They instructed staff to cold-call timeshare owners and pose as real estate agents claiming to have buyers ready to purchase … Read more

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Pensioner Sold $250,000 timeshare!

The daughter of a pensioner was so horrified to learn that Diamond Resorts sold her father $250,000 worth of points, she contacted the FBI.

In December last year, a daughter from the U.S. sent a complaint to the FBI, describing how her 88 year old father had agreed to buy a timeshare points product for $250,000. He has since, lost his wife and is suffering with Dementia and living in a nursing home.

Her father was 87 at the time he was approached by Diamond Resorts and simply enjoying a day trip to the beach with his wife at the … Read more

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