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Action Fraud issues warning after bogus traffic wardens steal bank cards

The reporting service is asking members of the public to be Watchful as individuals are pretending to be police officers and traffic wardens and targeting members of the public.

 Action Fraud the reporting service, has received an increase number of reports of fraudsters claiming to be police officers or traffic wardens. The service says that most of the people being targeted are elderly and vulnerable.

Action Fraud say they have received 33 reports since January 2019 of victims being targeted by fraudsters pretending to be police officers and traffic wardens.

Victims are being approached while in the car park … Read more

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Thousands of Brits Fall Victim To Universal Credit Fraud

The Government has admitted that thousands of people who fell victim to a Universal Credit Fraud, might have to be put back on the old benefits system.
It was disclosed this week, tens of millions of pounds is believed to have been stolen by fraudsters, leaving genuine claimants owing hundreds. Criminals have been making bogus claims online possible through a loophole in the online system, whereby the fraudster makes an application and claims advance loans.

Brits can get up to 100 per cent of their advance claim ahead of time to stop them having to wait five weeks for their … Read more

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Tenant Convicted over £40,000 Scam

In a landmark prosecution, a community homes tenant has been accused for defrauding the council out of £40,000.

Adrian Pengilley, from Plymouth, originally applied to purchase his council home, under the right to buy scheme, but instead he illegally Sublette the property. He moved out of the property and rent it out, which is against the rules under the right to buy scheme. He had been a tenant of Plymouth Community Homes for 14 years and although the sale never went through, he could of advantaged just under £40,000 from the fraud.

Plymouth Community Homes said his actions led to … Read more

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Ofcom Tell Service Providers To Help Their Customers

Phone and Broadband firms will be forced to tell customers if they could be on cheaper deals under new Ofcom rules.

Under new rules set out by Ofcom, Broadband, TV, mobile and home phone companies will be required to tell customers when their contract is coming to an end and show them the best deals available to them.

Ofcom says that more than 20 million people have been stuck with subscriptions beyond their lock-in, without realising. They also want companies to remind customers that they can change their package.

Ofcom first announced its plan to help secure end of … Read more

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Warning Over Counterfeit Currency In Circulation

Action Fraud have issued a warning over Fake currency and the organised crime syndicates, making big money from it.

In 2018 alone, more than £10 million worth of counterfeit bank notes were taken out of circulation. This only represents a small portion of the 3.7 billion genuine bank notes in circulation, but police say it is essential they are reported.

Action Fraud reports that criminals are using social media platforms such as Instagram to sell counterfeit money, and sellers are offering notes at a lower price, sometimes as little as a tenth of their face value. Police in West Yorkshire … Read more

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Mother and daughter warn others about ticket fraud.

A mother and daughter have shared their experiences of falling victim to ticket scammers in the hope that others think twice before buying tickets from illegitimate platforms. 

Sophie, 17, and Juliette, 49, gave their story as part of a new awareness campaign launched with Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR) that urges people to avoid fraud by taking more care when buying tickets for live events. Fraudsters will pose as a website or agent for a music concert or festival, a sporting contest, or a live comedian or performer, meaning victims will purchase tickets that either don’t arrive or … Read more

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British Airways Ordered To Pay Record Fine

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has informed British Airways they are facing a record fine of £183.39 million, this is the biggest fine ever issued by the ICO.

Between June and September 2018, the airline suffered a massive cyber-attack leading to the personal and financial information of over 500,000 customers being stolen. The sensitive information, which included people’s passport numbers, names and addresses and credit card details, was stolen from the airline’s website and mobile app.

The ICO launched an extensive investigation and found that a variety of information was compromised, and the airline was to blame as they had … Read more

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Rogue Traders Sentenced

Scammers stole thousands from vulnerable people.

Two men who scammed more than £35,000 from a vulnerable elderly man have been sentenced. The two men first approached their elderly victim at his home in September 2017. They claimed that, while working on his neighbours property, they noticed a leak in his gutter, which they could repair for £5.

Sensing the man was vulnerable, they went on to tell him a series of lies, claiming he could be sued by his neighbour if he did not allow them to Immediately repair his roof. The man agreed to have this work carried … Read more

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Scammers Targeting Victims On National Fish and Chip Day

Action Fraud have issued a warning for people to lookout for Phishing messages on National Fish and Chip Day.

Between April 2018 and March 2019, Action Fraud received over a quarter of a million reports of Phishing. Over two thirds of these reports were about emails claiming to be from a well-known brand. There were almost 70,000 that related to phishing phone calls, otherwise known as vishing, and close to 18,000 relating to phishing text messages, known as smishing.

Commander Karen Baxter, National Police Coordinator for Economic Crime at the City of London Police, said:“Phishing messages are … Read more

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Banks agree to compensate victims of sophisticated fraud

Some of the UK’s biggest banks have agreed to pay compensation to victims of bank transfer scams.

Until this new compensation scheme was announced this week, banks have refused to pay Reparation if neither they nor the customer were to blame.

Victims of bank transfer scams have been left with nowhere to turn, when banks have refused their requests for refunds. And figures released in 2018, showed that consumers lost £92.9 million because of this type of fraud.

But now a group of bank’s including Barclays, HSBC. Lloyds and RBS, has agreed to contribute to a fund to ensure victims … Read more

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