Posts

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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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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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Every Police Force Will Now Have A Dedicated Cyber Crime Unit

Thanks to a multi-million pound investment from the government, every Police force in England and Wales will now have a committed Cyber Crime Unit.

The announcement was made by Chief Constable Peter Goodman of the National Police Chiefs Council lead for cyber-crime. The news came at an event hosted by the new West Midlands Cyber Crime Unit which was established in November last year. Chief Constable Goodman heard from members of the team about the work they are doing within the force, how they link with the regional network and what it means to local victim’s and businesses.

Chief … Read more

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Hajj fraud warning issued by Civil Aviation Authority over fake pilgrimage deals

Travellers looking to book their Hajj pilgrimage this August, are being warned to stay clear of deals that seem to good to be true.

With over 25,000 British Muslims expected to make the Hajj pilgrimage this August, the Civil Aviation Authority is launching a campaign to ensure that this often once in a lifetime trip is not Thwarted by booking through a disreputable company, or those falsely posing as reputable travel agents. The Civil Aviation Authority’s campaign is working to protect travellers after an increasing trend in the sale of illegal or fake package deals. In the worst cases, … Read more

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Courts Shut Down Timeshare Scammers

Two rogue timeshare claims companies run by the same person, have been shut down by the courts for failing to deliver advertised services.

Meredith Pritchard Claims Consultants Ltd and First Law Solutions have been wound up in the public interest at the High Court in Manchester. The Official Receiver has been Designated liquidator for both companies.

The two companies, based in Chester, offered timeshare claims management services which helped clients get out of their existing timeshare contracts and pursue compensation claims against resorts.

The court heard that Meredith Pritchard Claims Consultants traded between October 2016 and August 2017, before First … Read more

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Off Duty Officer Stops Elderly Neighbour From Being Scammed

An eagle-eyed off duty officer stepped in to stop his elderly neighbour becoming the victim of a fraud after she bought hundreds of pounds worth of gift cards.

The woman, in her 80’s, bought the cards after receiving a call from someone asserting to be from HMRC. The caller told her that there was a warrant out for her arrest due to unpaid tax dating back to the 1950’s. In order to “settle the debt” she would need to buy £500 worth of gift cards, which can be redeemed by anyone if they have the code on the card.

Believing … Read more

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Taxi Driver Stops Fraud In It’s Tracks

A taxi driver who was driving an elderly woman to her bank, has saved her from losing her entire life savings.

A taxi driver from Bristol, was alerted to the potential fraud whilst chatting to her on the journey from her home to the bank. His quick thinking stopped the elderly victim from losing her entire life savings.

The taxi driver said alarms bells started to ring when the 87 year old said she was heading to her bank to withdraw all her money from her account. She explained to the driver how she had received a call from her … Read more

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Fraudster Poses As Hollywood Actor To Con Victims

A British woman has been conned out of hundreds of thousands of pounds by a fraudster who pretended to be actor Jason Statham.

The woman, who spoke to BBBC Radio Manchester, asked not to be named and explained how she had been targeted by the heartless fraudster at one of the most vulnerable times in her life. She told the station how she had just lost her mother and fiancé when she was contacted by the Fraudster pretending to be the famous actor.

It all started when she was browsing through a Facebook page which is dedicated to the movie … Read more

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Grenfell Tower Scammer Jailed For Five Years

Moses Ettiene, 49, claimed he had been living in the Grenfell Tower when the fire started on 14 June 2017. Kensington and Chelsea council fell for his story and paid his huge bill of more than £47,000. He spent 325 nights in the four star Park Plaza in West London, he also Asserted for his food bill during his stay.

Ettiene claimed he was out the night the blaze started, which claimed the lives of 72 people. However, he did attend the Westway Community Centre, where survivors were told to go to seek help.

The fire at Grenfell Tower sent … Read more

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Notorious Timeshare Scammer Sentenced

The leader of a timeshare resale fraud scam which targeted elderly and Susceptible people, has been sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay back $3.37 million in damages. The Notorious Florida Based scammer was sentenced to 63 months in Federal prison, for swindling more than 1,000 victims, many of whom were elderly, out of over $3.3 million.

Daniel Boyar from Orlando, Florida, ran an elaborate timeshare scam between October 2010 to April 2012. He and 20 co defendants devised and carried out a telemarketing scam to defraud more than 1,000 timeshare owners out of more than $3.3 … Read more

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