April 27 2007 to September 21 2007
To skip to a specific alert select from the list below:
- Aggressive fascia company cold-calling
- Catalogue jewellery mailings
- Telephone scam asking for personal information
- Warning of cold-calling tradesmen in Leyland
- Scams and cold-calling incidents hitting Lancashire – August 2007
- Lottery scams and cold-calling incidents – July 2007
- Bogus Age Concern representatives
- Bogus foreign lottery companies
- Scams and burglary warnings
Aggressive fascia company cold-calling
September 21 2007
Lancashire Trading Standards Service wishes to warn Lancashire residents about an aggressive driveway/fascia company currently operating in the Warton/Lytham/St Annes area and targeting the vulnerable, and a double glazing salesman operating in the Poulton area who makes appointments by claiming he is phoning to inspect windows on behalf of the government.
The first trader drives a white van and claims to be from a paving company based in Blackpool. One customer was charged over £4000 and when the price increased and he demurred he was threatened and assaulted in front of his wife. The trader also said he would return and break into the house if he did not get his money.
The second caller is attempting to get into houses under false pretences, although we have not heard of any residents who have accepted his story yet.
We strongly advise residents not to deal with any cold callers.
Be aware that when dealing with cold callers there is a seven-day cooling off period to change your mind, cancel any purchases you have made over £35, and obtain a refund. The contract will not be enforceable against you unless information about your right to cancel is given in writing.
Catalogue jewellery mailings
September 6 2007
Lancashire Trading Standards and the OFT are warning consumers to watch out for mailings that promise large cash prizes to induce people to buy catalogue jewellery.
The unsolicited mailings, typically sent in their tens of thousands, give recipients the impression that they have won a large cash prize of up to £100,000. The mailings imply that to receive the prize, or to receive it faster, the consumer should make a purchase from a catalogue for items such as simulated diamond earrings, Goldtone necklaces, zirconia rings and money clips. In fact recipients are only being offered the chance to take part in a prize draw and are likely to 'win' nothing or at best only a low value item. The small print in the mailing often explains that consumers can in fact enter the prize draw for free without making an order.
When consumers make purchases from the catalogues, they may be repeatedly targeted with similar prize draw and sweepstake mailings.
Deceptive prize draw and sweepstake mailings cost the UK economy £60million a year, and it is often the vulnerable and elderly who are worst affected.
Consumers should think carefully before responding to unsolicited mailings that appear to claim they have won a prize draw or sweepstake. Don't be tempted to buy jewellery or items you don't really want on the back of promises about a large cash prize win.
For advice call Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 or visit the scams area on the OFT website: www.oft.gov.uk.
Telephone scam asking for personal information
September 1 2007
The Office of Fair Trading has been made aware of a scam involving consumers being telephoned by people, alleging to be from the OFT, asking for personal and financial information including their bank account details, in order for the OFT to reclaim bank charges on their behalf.
These calls are trying to link in to the recent publicity over successful court rulings where banks have had to refund certain charges.
These callers have no connection with the OFT, and their intention is to use the information for identity theft or to run up bills or commit crimes using stolen details. The OFT will never contact consumers asking them for personal bank details.
The OFT is warning consumers not to pass on personal or financial information to cold callers either over the phone or via email, and if they have already done so, to contact their bank as soon as possible and review their credit card and bank account statements to see if there have been any unauthorised transactions.
For advice call Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 or visit the scams area on the OFT website: www.oft.gov.uk.
Warning of cold-calling tradesmen in Leyland
August 29 2007
Residents in the Park Road area of Leyland are advised to be wary of two men in a white van cold calling at the door and offering to power wash drives and pathways. These men are likely to be spreading their operations to other parts of Lancashire in the near future.
The men charge £500 and cash payment is required.
Customers agreeing to deal with cold callers should be aware that they will have a seven-day cooling off period to cancel any work agreed to, or any purchases made over £35, although if the trader has already begun to carry out any job when cancellation occurs, the customer may have to pay for the work carried out so far.
Also be aware that the contract will not be enforceable against the customer unless information about your right to cancel is given in writing.
We advise residents not to deal with cold-callers, to ensure you obtain full name, address and landline details from workmen, and to ask for identification and references from other customers. Also ensure any price you are quoted is fair and genuine by obtaining estimates from other traders, and by ensuring the price to be charged is written down before you agree to the work starting.
Scams and cold-calling incidents hitting Lancashire – August 2007
August 21 2007
Scams
Residents are advised that Lancashire Trading Standards Service is still receiving complaints about large win notifications received from bogus foreign lottery companies, at the moment the main letter circulating asks the recipient to send money to Lotteria Primetava, Marquez de Urquijua, Madrid to enable the claim to be processed.
In addition there are large numbers of “phishing” emails and letters doing the rounds, requesting bank account details and purporting to be connected to major banks such as Lloyds plc and the Royal Bank of Scotland. Banks will never request such information in unsolicited emails.
A possible variation on this is the man who has been calling door-to-door in Lancashire, telling residents that he can sort out reclaiming bank charges for them, provided they give him their bank account details at the doorstep.
A further type of incident causing concern is the one where a consumer receives a phone call, allegedly from Geneva, Switzerland, using a withheld telephone number where the trader persuades the consumer to buy shares. The money is wired to the US and never seen again.
Another problem is with unsolicited catalogues received from Belgium and Iceland, where cash prizes are offered if goods are purchased, although the goods arrive needless top say the cheques do not.
Any vulnerable individuals should be warned that there is an increasing number of this type of companies out there, that it is impossible to win on a foreign lottery unless you actually participate in one, and that no bona fide lottery would demand up-front fees. Never give out your personal bank details in response to an unsolicited call or mailing, otherwise you are vulnerable to identity theft.
Cold calling incidents
Lancashire Trading Standards Service is currently dealing with complaints regarding various instances of cold-calling aimed at the elderly. These include two young shaven-headed white men in the Accrington area who cold call offering to replace gutters and soffits, claiming that any work will be guaranteed for 12 months, but omitting to give contact details or the required paperwork.
Residents are reminded that there are several Care and Repair agencies in Lancashire, which offer varying services to the elderly or vulnerable, often including approved trader lists, odd job men and advice on grants. Details of your nearest agency can be found by accessing the www.foundations.uk.com website and entering the resident's postcode.
Please warn any elderly neighbours about these kind of scams. If you do deal with tradesmen who cold-call uninvited, make sure you obtain full name, address and landline details, and ask for identification and references from other customers who have had work carried out by the trader. Also ensure any price you are quoted is fair and genuine by obtaining estimates from other traders, and by ensuring the price to be charged is written down before you agree to the work starting.
Lottery scams and cold-calling incidents – July 2007
July 16 2007
Residents are advised that Lancashire Trading Standards Service is still receiving complaints about large win notifications received from bogus foreign lottery companies, at the moment the main ones are:
1. Consumer receives a letter asking them to send £980 to Dr Antonio Lopev at a Spanish address to enable the claim to be processed.
2. Consumer receives a letter ostensibly from the Australian Federal Gaming Commisssion saying that a win is waiting to be transported by carrier but the winner will have to pay £1510 import tax
3. Consumer receives a letter saying he has won £6,000 on the UK lottery but must send £20 to claim it.
Any vulnerable individuals should be warned that there is an increasing number of these types of companies out there, that it is impossible to win on a foreign lottery unless you actually participate in one, and that no bona fide lottery, such as the El Gordo Spanish National Lottery, would demand up-front fees. And never give out your personal bank details in response to an unsolicited call or mailing, otherwise you are vulnerable to identity theft.
Cold calling incidents
Residents in the Preston, Hyndburn and Lytham areas are advised to be wary of anyone cold calling at the door and offering to carry out roofing, gutters, fascias or gardening work, without offering written cancellation rights.
Lancashire Trading Standards Service is currently dealing with complaints regarding various instances of cold-calling aimed at the elderly. These include:
1. A trader who drives a red van & offers to paint windows and doors, but does shoddy work when the windows are closed and the consumer is out. He then returns to demand large amounts of cash- on one occasion he demanded £895 from an elderly consumer. (Lytham area)
2. A trader who repeatedly cold calls on elderly consumers until they agree to him attending to give a quote to have their gutters replaced. He then comes early in the morning to rip down the gutters without agreement and without a prior quote, and asks for exorbitant amounts of cash. The 0800 number he gives does not work. (Preston area)
3. A trader who took less than 3 hours to replace 2 square feet of felt on an elderly lady's roof and then tried to make her pay £600 in cash for the job. (Accrington area)
4. A tall, young trader who says he is selling tea towels as part of his work with the Probation Service, then says he can clean the gutters while there, charges £70 cash for this service but then returns the next day to say the consumer has not paid enough and owes more. Needless to say there is no connection with Probation. (Preston area)
5. A tall tattooed heavily accented man who offers to do gardening work and then asks for a much larger sum than originally agreed. On one occasion he offered to tidy the front garden for £50, the back garden for £80, with £30 to kill a bramble. He then insisted on £330 cash for the work. On another occasion and with another elderly consumer he charged £350. (Preston area)
Please warn any elderly neighbours about these kind of scams. If you do deal with tradesmen who cold-call uninvited, make sure you obtain full name, address and landline details, and ask for identification and references from other customers who have had work carried out by the trader. Also ensure any price you are quoted is fair and genuine by obtaining estimates from other traders, and by ensuring the price to be charged is written down before you agree to the work starting.
Please be aware that you will have a seven-day cooling off period to change your mind and cancel any work you have agreed to, or any purchases you have made over £35, although if the trader has already begun to carry out any job when you cancel, you may have to pay for the work carried out so far.
Also be aware that the contract will not be enforceable against you unless information about your right to cancel is given in writing.
Bogus Age Concern representatives
April 27 2007
Residents are advised to be wary of anyone cold calling at the door and claiming to be collecting for Age Concern.
Lancashire Trading Standards Service is currently dealing with queries from the Knott End area regarding individuals asking for cans of food for the elderly. These people are not authorised by Age Concern and the worry is that this might be a cover for distraction burglary or some other scam.
Please refer any complaints to:
Lancashire Trading Standards Service
56-58 Guildhall Street
Preston
Lancashire
or via Consumer Direct telephone: 08454 040506.
If there is any threat or fear of burglary contact the police at once.
Bogus foreign lottery companies
April 27 2007
Residents are advised that Lancashire Trading Standards Service is still receiving complaints about bogus foreign lottery companies, especially the one based at Romano No.19, Plantas, Madrid, Spain, which starts by informing customers they have won a large sum of money but that they must pay an initial £500 administration fee, and hand over personal bank account details.
Any vulnerable individuals should be warned that there is an increasing number of these types of companies out there, that it is impossible to win on a foreign lottery unless you actually participate in one, and that many genuine national lotteries are only open to a country's own residents.
No bona fide lottery, such as the El Gordo Spanish National Lottery, would demand up-front fees. And never give out your personal bank details in response to an unsolicited call or mailing.
Please refer any complaints to:
Lancashire Trading Standards Service
56-58 Guildhall Street
Preston
Lancashire
or via Consumer Direct telephone 0845 6001352/ 01772 533573, which will pass referrals on to the Office of Fair Trading in London.
Scams and burglary warnings
April 27 2007
Residents are advised to be wary of unsolicited letters purporting to be from a Zimbabwean widow whose husband was shot by Mugabe's regime. She has allegedly sold off her husband's assets & her sons are seeking asylum. She needs to use someone's bank account to put the money in & will then pay you a sum of it. All you need to do initially is send them your bank account details. The letter says that the widow can't live much longer like this, and appeals to people's consciences to help.
It goes without saying that this is another variant of the African bank account scam.
In addition, consumers in the Fleetwood area are receiving unsolicited calls from a company claiming to be from the Department of Works and Pensions and requesting bank account details. Residents are advised never to give out personal information out over the phone, since genuine companies will not call unsolicited and demand such information.
Please refer any complaints to:
Lancashire Trading Standards Service
56-58 Guildhall Street
Preston
Lancashire
or via Consumer Direct telephone: 08454 040506.
If there is any threat or fear of burglary contact the police at once.
Burglary warnings
Two conmen posing as police officers have targeted elderly residents in Fulwood and Deepdale/City Centre area.
The bogus callers knocked on several homes of elderly victims claiming they were looking for someone who was to be arrested. Unfortunately the elderly victims allowed the conmen access to their homes and cash and valuables were stolen.
The message is to be vigilant and check with Police by phone if people are claiming to be Police officers. Don't let anyone in your home if your have any doubts. On these occasions they distracted the householders by asking for a drink of water.
Both men had thin builds and were in their 30's. They were wearing a high-visibility yellow jacket with a blue shirt underneath. In both cases the men produced small identity cards.