Consumer Alerts August 2024
16th of August, 2024
Bogus Property Repairer in Chorley
Householders in Chorley are asked to beware after a resident was cold called by a short slim dark-haired man with an Irish accent. The caller implied that he had done work at the resident's house in the past and told them they needed urgent roofing work completing. The trader insisted he drive the householder to the bank to withdraw £5,000. No work has been done and the trader has not returned to do any work.
Trading Standards advice is to always say no to cold callers. The Safetrader scheme can help you find a trader in your area, contact 0303 333 1111 or go to www.safetrader.org.uk.
Email Hacking Scam
The Service is still receiving reports about this hacking scam where you may receive an email from a close friend or acquaintance whose account has been hacked. The current scam email states "I'm unable to speak over the phone due to serious throat pain. Let me know when you get this. Can you do me a quick favour?". If a response is obtained the sender requests an e-gift card. Be suspicious of unusual, out of character email requests from people you know.
Holiday Phishing Scams
At a time when many people are booking holidays and flights, scammers have seen an opportunity to try to obtain personal details by phishing emails pretending to be sent by travel agencies or airlines. Often the email will look to have come from a reputable source, especially if you coincidentally have a genuine booking with that business, but may purport to be urgent, requesting immediate action and will ask you to click on a link that will then ask for personal or financial details.
Be suspicious, don’t be rushed, check the address the email has come from and use your cursor to hover over the hyperlink to check the website address before you click.
Ukrainian Investment Scam Letter
Beware receiving a scam letter asking you to help an investment consultant in Ukraine who has over £20 million in security funds stuck in China. The letter claims to be from “Karpenko Elishchuk” from Ukraine and a “former member of the Contract Review and Award Committee of the Mineral Resources in Ukraine”.
The letter claims to be seeking to “engage an interested overseas representative” to secure the $26.7 million in funds for them with an offer of being able to keep almost 45% of the money and claim they intend to “relocate to the United Kingdom with my family due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war”.
Report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via www.actionfraud.police.uk
Scam emails can be reported via [email protected]
For information on current scams see www.facebook.com/StanleyDards.
Contact the Trading Standards Service via the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.