A – Z of Scams and Frauds419 emails and letters Employee fraud Mortgage fraudAbuse of position of trust Employment fraud Non-domestic rate fraudAccommodation addresses European Distribution Fraud Office supply scamsAccommodation fraud Exploiting assets and info Olympics fraudAccount takeover Facility takeover Online fraudAdvance fee fraud False accounting fraud Online shopping fraudAnti-competitive behaviour Fixed line fraud Patient charge evasionApplication fraud Fraud enabling activities Payment fraudAsset misappropriation fraud Fraud recovery fraud Pension scamsAuction fraud Fronting Personnel management fraudBank account fraud Gambling fraud PhishingBank card and cheque fraud Goods sold as investment Phoenix company fraudBankruptcy-related fraud Government agency scams PIN entry devicesBenefit fraud Guardian’s Allowance fraud Plastic card fraudBetting fraud Health in Pregnancy Grant Ponzi schemesBogus tradesmen fraud Health scams Premium rate phone lineBoiler room fraud Hedge fund fraud Prime bank guarantee fraudBond fraud Holiday club fraud Prize draw scamsBotnet-related fraud Holiday fraud Procurement fraudBusiness directory fraud Identity fraud/identity theft Property fraudBusiness opportunity fraud Impersonation of officials Property investor scamsBusiness trading frauds Individual fraud Proxy serversCall centre fraud Inheritance fraud Psychic scamsCareer opportunity scams Insider information Public funding and grantsCash point fraud Insolvency-related fraud Public sector service provisionCharitable publication scams Institutional investment fraud Pyramid scheme fraudCharity donation fraud Insurance broker scams Racing tipster scamsCheque fraud Insurance fraud Receipt fraudCheque overpayment fraud Intellectual property fraud Recruitment scamsChild Benefit fraud Internal fraud Rental fraudClairvoyant scams Internet auction fraud Romance scamsClick fraud Internet dialler scam Share sale/investment fraudCompanies – fraudulent Investment fraud Shopping fraudComputer hacking Invoice scams Short and long firm fraudComputer Software Service Land banking scams Slimming cures scamsCorporate fraud Life assurance takeover SmishingCorporate services fraud Loan repayment fraud Spam emailsCouncil tax fraud Loan scams Store card fraudCounterfeit cheque fraud Lottery scams Sweepstake scamsCounterfeit gift certificates Mail boxes / post redirections TabnappingCounterfeit goods fraud Malware Tax fraudCourier scam Mandate Fraud Telecommunications fraudsCredit card fraud Market manipulation Ticket scamsDating fraud Marketing materials Timeshare fraudDebit card fraud Mass marketing fraud Travel and subsistence fraudDomain name scams Medical scams Vehicle matching scamsDoor-to-door sales fraud Miracle health scams VishingDoorstep electricity meter Mobile phone fraud Website domain name scamsDoorstep fraud Money laundering West African letter fraudElectricity scam Money muling Work from home scams

Career Opportunity Scams

Career opportunity scams happen when people respond to job adverts posted by bogus companies.Some examples include:

Bogus publishers, Invention promotion and patent companies or Model and casting agencies - all promising to launch a person’s career.

Career opportunity scams begin with some form of initial consultation but then require an upfront fee. The fraudsters often say that this fee will be used to undertake further work or research, but the promised career and benefits are never delivered.

Clairvoyant Scams

Psychic and clairvoyant scams happen when a fraudster approaches you to tell you they have seen something either wonderful or terrible in your future. They ask for money in order to provide a full report about it.

The apparently psychic or clairvoyant fraudsters approach their victims by email, post, telephone call or even face-to-face.They may tell you that you are:

In some kind of trouble, but can offer a solution in return for payment. They may claim to be able to give you winning lottery numbers, Offer to remove a curse.

The fraudsters tend to ask for an administration fee for their services.

Cheque Overpayment Fraud

Cheque overpayment fraud is when a fraudster pays a business for goods or services by a fraudulent cheque.

The cheque is made for a higher than the actual value. The business reimburses the fraudster with the excess amount of money that was apparently paid to it, before it discovers that the cheque was not genuine.

Not only does the business go unpaid for the goods or services, but loses further money because of the ‘excess payment’ it paid the fraudster.

Cheque overpayment fraud is often a method used in employment opportunity scams or transactions for goods and services sold through classified adverts.

When an individual rather than a business is the victim of such a fraud, it is known as advance fee fraud.

Dating Fraud

Dating or romance fraud is when you think you’ve met your perfect partner online, but they aren’t who they say they are. Once they’ve gained your trust, they ask for money for a variety of emotive reasons.

You register with an internet-based dating agency or join an online dating chat room. You receive a contact from someone who shows an interest in you. They may be from overseas, or they might tell you they are in the same country as you. Gradually, you develop a long-distance relationship through emails, instant messaging, texting and phone calls. As the relationship develops, your exchanges become more intimate. The person you have fallen for will probably send you their photograph and give you a pet name. They may also ask you for ‘very private’ photos of yourself, particularly if you are female.

The person you’ve developed a relationship with is not who they say they are. In fact, you have probably been in contact with several members of a criminal gang. Once the fraudsters are confident that you have enough sympathy and desire for them, they will tell you about a problem they are experiencing and ask you to help out by sending money. For example:

they’ve arranged to visit you but need money to pay travel costs, visa costs etc. Or they’ve paid for a plane ticket which is then stolen

a family member or someone else they are responsible for is ill and they need money for medical treatment.

Once you send them money, the fraudsters will keep coming back with more reasons to send them more money.

If you send pictures of yourself of a ‘personal’ nature, the fraudsters will threaten to send them to your family, friends and work colleagues if you don’t go along with their requests for money.

Are you a victim of dating fraud?

You’ve developed a relationship with someone you’ve met online via emails, text messages and phone calls.

The new love of your life looks like a supermodel in the pictures they send you. They ask you lots of questions about yourself but don’t tell you much about themselves. They quickly start calling you by a pet name or use endearing terms such as ‘darling’. They want to communicate with you through instant messaging and, texts, rather than

through the dating website or chat room where you met. They don’t answer basic questions about where they live and work. They start asking you to send them money.

What should you do if you’ve been a victim of dating fraud?

Report it to Action Fraud. Break off all contact immediately. Report the fraudster to the website or chat room operator. Do not send any more money.

Protect yourself against dating fraud

Trust your instincts. If you think something feels wrong, it probably is. Guard your privacy. Never send money or give credit card or online account details to anyone you don’t know

and trust. Communicate with people locally and not from overseas, although you should be aware that

someone might tell you they are in the same country as you when they are not. Never reply to communications from someone who you meet on a dating site or chat room

and then wants continue the communication by email.

Fraud Recovery Fraud

Fraud recovery fraud happens when former fraud victims are told the money they’ve lost can be recovered.

Targeting former fraud victims, the fraudster poses as a legitimate organisation, claiming they can apprehend the fraudster and recover any monies lost - for a fee.

The person who contacts you will not be who they claim to be, nor will they help you recover the money you’ve already lost.

If you respond to their offer of help, they will ask you for various fees, such as release and administration fees. If you pay these fees, they will keep coming back to you with another fee that has to be paid, before your money can be returned.

If you ask them to take the fees from the money they claim to have recovered, they will give reasons why this isn’t possible. For example, your money is under the control of a court and can only be paid back to you personally.

The fraudsters may also ask you to provide details of your bank account so they can pay your money into it. They will use this information to empty your account.

Are you a victim of fraud recovery fraud?

You’ve been contacted, either by phone or email, by someone saying they are a lawyer, a law enforcement officer or an official working for a government agency in another country. They know you’ve already lost money to a fraud and tell you they can recover your money for you.

You’ve paid them a fee in order to recover your lost money.

What should you do if you’ve been a victim of fraud recovery fraud?

Break off all contact with the fraudsters. Don’t send any more money. Don’t tell them your bank details. If you have given the fraudsters your bank account details, alert your bank immediately.

Protect yourself against fraud recovery fraud

Beware of any unsolicited communication you receive about being a victim of fraud from people you don’t know, or companies you’ve never contacted.

If they sound plausible, ask where they found out that you had been a victim of fraud. Any report of fraud is subject to data protection and would not normally be shared with anyone outside of law enforcement.

Genuine law enforcement and other agencies don’t charge fees when returning money to crime victims. Any request for fees indicates a fraud – particularly when you’re asked to pay upfront.

Criminals committing fraud recovery frauds often use the names of genuine law firms and agencies. Check any contact details the fraudsters give you against the real company’s details. You can check against entries in:

the telephone directory or Yellow Pages the organisation’s genuine website (bearing in mind that criminals can copy a genuine

website) or regulatory agencies for lawyers. If you find that the details don’t match, it’s likely that

you’re dealing with fraudsters. Genuine government or law enforcement agencies and law firms don’t normally use

webmail addresses such as @Yahoo or @Hotmail. So beware if you are asked to contact one of these email addresses.

Foreign law enforcement agencies and other official organisations normally ask UK authorities to help return money to fraud victims. If someone claiming to work for an official overseas agency contacts you directly, this is a good indicator of fraud.

If the service sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

Impersonation of Officials

This is when fraudsters claim to be officials or government agencies, eg HMRC to victims.

Fraudsters impersonate officials to make false promises about tax rebates, or to demand fees, “customs payments” or “VAT payments”.

Government agency scams are when fraudsters send out official looking letters or emails to ask for money or personal information.

The correspondence gives the impression that they are from a government department and imply they have some form of authority.

The letter, text or email might advise that you must register in order to comply with some kind of legislation – for a fee.

Other alternatives include asking you to pay a fine for breaches to the law, or requesting bank details to claim a tax rebate.

Inheritance Fraud

Inheritance fraud is when you are told that someone very rich has died and you’re in line to receive a huge inheritance.

A fraudster who claims to be a lawyer from overseas or some other legal official sends you an email or a letter. They tell you that a person sharing your family name has died and left behind a vast amount of money.

The lawyer is administering the inheritance and has been unable to identify any of the dead person’s relatives. As a result, the money will go to the government. The lawyer suggests that, because you share the same family name as the deceased, he could pay the inheritance to you. You could then split the money between you, rather than handing it over to the government.

The fraudsters will emphasise the need for secrecy and warn you not to tell anyone else about the deal. To hurry you into making a hasty decision, they will also stress the need to act quickly.However, there is no inheritance and the person contacting you isn’t a lawyer or legal official.If you respond to the fraudsters, they’ll ask you to pay various fees – for example: taxes, legal fees, banking fees etc. – so they can release your non-existent inheritance.

Each time you make a payment, the fraudsters will come up with a reason why the inheritance can’t be paid out unless you make another payment. If you ask, they will also give you reasons why the fees can’t be taken from your inheritance and have to be paid upfront.

If you become reluctant to pay a fee or suggest you can’t afford it, the fraudsters will put pressure on you by reminding you how close you are to receiving a sum of money much greater than the fees you’ve already handed over, and of how much you’ve already paid out.

The fraudsters may also ask for your bank details so they can pay the inheritance directly into your bank account. But, if you hand over your bank details, the fraudsters can use them to empty your account.

Are you a victim of inheritance fraud?

You’ve received an email or letter informing you that someone you may be related to has died without leaving a will and you may be in line to inherit.

You’ve paid fees to ‘research specialists’ who offer to sell you an estate report that includes information on the inheritance and how you can claim it.

What should you do if you’re a victim of inheritance fraud?

End all further contact with the fraudsters. Don’t send them any more money. Don’t give them your bank details. If you have already given the fraudsters your bank account details, alert your bank

immediately. If you receive any threats from the fraudsters once you have stopped co-operating with

them, alert the police immediately.

Be aware that you’re now likely to be a target for other frauds. Fraudsters often share details about people they have successfully targeted or approached, using different identities to commit further frauds.

People who have already fallen victim to fraudsters are particularly vulnerable to the fraud recovery fraud. This is when fraudsters contact people who’ve already lost money through fraud and claim to be law enforcement officers or lawyers. They’ll advise the victim that they can help them recover their lost money – but request a fee.

Protect yourself against inheritance fraud

Although there are legitimate companies who make a living by tracking down heirs, they don’t do it in this way. If you’re asked for a fee for a report, it’s very likely to be bogus.

Letters/documents provided by the fraudsters are generally badly written. Look out for spelling mistakes and poor grammar.

Beware if you are asked to contact a webmail address such as @Yahoo or @Hotmail. As a rule, legitimate law firms do not use them.

A legitimate law firm is highly unlikely to pay out an inheritance to someone who isn’t entitled to it. Any offer of a payout indicates that someone is up to no good.

Fraudsters often claim that the person who has died was the victim of a well-publicised incident, such as a plane crash. To add credibility, they may even use the identity of someone who really did die in the incident.

Loan Scams

Loan scams happen when a victim is asked to pay an upfront fee for a loan.

A person will typically reply to an advert for a fast loan and will have their application approved regardless of their credit history. Before they receive the loan, they are told them must pay an upfront fee to cover insurance for the loan.

Once this fee is paid, the victim does not hear from the company again and the loan is never received.Loan scams are a type of advance fee fraud.

Lottery Scams

Lottery, sweepstake or prize draw fraud happens after fraudsters contact you to tell you you’ve won a large sum of money in an international lottery, sweepstake or other prize draw.

You’re told via email or letter that you have won a large amount of money on an overseas or online lottery. Spanish, Canadian and Australian lotteries are among the most common.

So that you can process the payment of your winnings, it asks you to contact someone who claims to be an official at the lottery company. You are warned to keep your good luck a secret and, if you don’t respond quickly, you won’t be able to claim your winnings.

However, either the lottery doesn’t exist or you’ve been contacted by fraudsters misusing the name of a genuine lottery. But you can be sure there is no prize money for you to win.

If you respond to the fraudster, you’ll be asked to supply personal information and copies of official documents, such as your passport, as proof of identity. The fraudsters can then use this information to steal your identity.

Once you have provided your personal information, the fraudsters will ask you to pay various fees – for example: taxes, legal fees, banking fees etc. – so that they can release your non-existent winnings.

Each time you make a payment, the fraudsters will come up with a reason why your winnings can’t be paid out unless you make another payment. They’ll also give you reasons why the fees can’t be taken out of your winnings and have to be paid upfront.

The fraudsters may also ask for your bank details, saying they will pay your winnings directly into your bank account. But if you hand over your bank details, the fraudsters will use them to empty your account.

Are you a victim of lottery fraud?

You receive an official looking email or letter telling you that you’ve won a large sum of money in a lottery.

You’ve responded to the email/letter and supplied personal information. You’ve paid a fee to release your winnings.

What should you do if you’re a victim of lottery fraud?

If you have responded to the email/letter, break off all contact with the fraudsters at once. If you have given the fraudsters your bank account details, alert your bank immediately. Be aware that you’re now likely to be a target for other frauds. Fraudsters often share

details about people they have successfully targeted or approached, using different identities to commit further frauds.

People who have already fallen victim to fraudsters are particularly vulnerable to the fraud recovery fraud. This is when fraudsters contact people who have already lost money through fraud and claim to be law enforcement officers or lawyers. They advise the victim that they can help them recover their lost money – but request a fee.

Protect yourself against lottery fraud

Never respond to any such communication. If you haven’t entered a lottery then you can’t have won it.

Official lotteries in other countries operate in much the same way as the UK’s National Lotto. No official lotteries that we know of contact people to tell them of their win.

We don’t know of any official lottery operators who ask for fees to collect winnings. Any request for a fee payment is a good indication that someone is trying to defraud you.

Never, ever disclose your bank details or pay fees in advance. If they’ve provided an email address to respond to, be very suspicious of addresses such as

@hotmail.com or @yahoo.com or numbers beginning with 07 because these are free to get hold of.

Genuine lotteries thrive on publicity. If they ask you to keep your win a secret it’s likely to be a fraud.

Many fraudulent lotteries have bad spelling and grammar – see this as a warning that fraudsters are at work.

Racing Tipster Scams

Racing type scams happen when a victim is offered racing advice and guaranteed ‘tips’ for a small fee.

The fraudsters promise that the victims will make a small fortune.

The racing tips and advice are often offered via a professional-looking leaflet or letter.

In reality, few of the tips exist or come in as winners, the so-called expert tipster is not real and any money back guarantees are not honoured.

Rental Fraud

Rental fraud happens when would-be tenants are tricked into paying an upfront fee to rent a property.

In reality, the property does not exist, has already been rented out, or has been rented to multiple victims at the same time.

The victim loses the upfront fee they have paid and is not able to rent the property they thought they had secured with the payment. Rental fraudsters often target students looking for university accommodation.

Rental fraud is a type of advance fee fraud.

Protect yourself from rental fraud: Do not send money to anyone advertising rental properties online until you are certain the

advertiser is genuine. If you need to secure accommodation in the UK from overseas, seek the help of the

employer or university you are coming to, or get a friend, contact or relative to check the property exists and is available.

Do not pay any money until you or a reliable contact has visited the property with an agent or the landlord.

Ask for copies of tenancy agreements and any safety certificates such as Gas Electricity or HMO Licence.

Do not be pressurised into transferring large sums of money. Transfer funds to a bank account having obtained the details by contacting the landlord or agent directly after the above steps have been followed. Be sceptical if you’re asked to transfer any money via a money transfer service like Western Union.

Telephone Preference Service Scams

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from the TPS or a similar sounding organisation, asking for personal information or charging you for this service, our advice is to not pay or give them any personal details, it is most likely a scam.

We are aware of a number of organisations that call from overseas, possibly India, claiming to be the TPS or affiliated with the TPS or BT. They ask for your credit card details to complete a registration to stop unwanted calls or to pay for renewal of the service (which is FREE). They often claim that you previously gave your permission for this call. This is a scam. Never give out your credit card details over the phone.

The names of some of these organisations, given to the TPS by consumers are:

The Anti-Marketing Group Alien Touch SAIS Corp Ltd Icon Global Services IG Services ITC Biztek (or Bisdek) Telecoms Consumer Advice Bureau

….. our advice is NOT to pay them.

West African Letter Fraud / 419 Fraud

West African letter or 419 fraud is advance-fee scam where you are asked to help transfer money out of another country – such as Iraq, South Africa or somewhere in west Africa – in return for a percentage of the money you helped to transfer.

A fraudster who claims to be someone in a position of authority, such as a senior government employee or a lawyer, sends you an email, letter or a fax.

The fraudster says they have access to a substantial amount of money and explains where this money is supposed to have come from. They say they want to move the money out of the country, and then give you a reason why they can’t transfer it themselves. For example, they can’t open an overseas bank account.

The fraudsters will also explain why you have been chosen to take part in this venture.

They will ask your permission to pay the money into your account before they transfer it onwards, after deducting your reward. The fraudsters may even ask you to open a new bank account to transfer the money.

The amount of money involved for transfer and the percentage you are offered will be extremely large.

They will also emphasise the need for secrecy, warning you not to tell anyone else about the deal while hurrying you into a hasty decision by stressing the need for urgent action.

To add an element of legitimacy to the fraud, the fraudsters may arrange to meet you, usually outside the UK. However, there is no money to transfer.

If you respond to the fraudsters’ request, they will ask you to pay various fees that are supposed to release the money, such as legal fees, transaction fees or taxes.

When you pay the first fee, the fraudsters will keep coming back with further requests for additional fees, explaining that each one has cropped up as a last-minute obstacle to releasing the money.If you start getting reluctant to pay or suggest you can’t afford it, the fraudsters will put pressure on you by explaining how close you are to receiving a sum of money far bigger than the fees you have been asked to pay out and reminding you how much you have already sent them.

The fraudsters may also ask you for details of your bank account so that they can transfer your reward. They will use this information to try and empty your account.Are you a victim of West African letter fraud?

You’ve received an email, letter, fax or phone call from someone claiming to be in a position of authority and you’ve agreed to help transfer money from a foreign account.

You’ve already paid various fees to them to help release the cash but you’ve discovered there is no money.

What should you do if you’re a victim of West African letter fraud?

End all further contact with the fraudsters at once. Don’t send them any more money. If you have given the fraudsters your bank account details, contact your bank immediately. If the fraudsters threaten you once you stop co-operating with them, tell the police

immediately. Send a copy of the original email to both your own Internet Service Provider (ISP) and the ISP

of the sender. Address it to ‘abuse@’ followed by the email address. Be aware that you will probably be targeted for other frauds. Fraudsters frequently pass on

the details of people they have successfully targeted to other fraudsters. Or, they may approach the victim under different names to commit further frauds.

Often people who have already lost money to fraudsters fall victim to fraud recovery fraud. Here, fraudsters contact victims pretending to be law enforcement specialists or lawyers. They reassure the victim that they can help to recover their lost money – but they also ask for a fee.

Protect yourself against West African letter fraud

The first question to ask yourself is "why me?" This person doesn't know you and has no reason to trust you. The best way to deal with an e-mail like this is to delete it straight away.

Governments and large corporations do not transfer money through another person’s bank account. Any suggestion that they do so is a reliable indication that you have been approached by fraudsters.

Letters and documents sent by fraudsters are usually badly written. Look out for spelling mistakes and poor grammar.

If a deal seems to be too good to be true, then it probably is. Beware of being told you must act quickly or you’ll miss out on this ‘one-time deal’. Never send your bank or personal details. If you have done, contact your bank immediately

to stop money being withdrawn and sent overseas.

Never send any money. Never, under any circumstances, travel anywhere in response to one of these scams. You

won't see your money again, and you could put yourself in physical danger.

Work from Home Scams

Business opportunity fraud involves an offer to become financially independent, or to generate extra income, by setting up your own business.

A letter, advert or website asks if you are interested in making easy money by working from home, or setting up your own online business.

The scheme allows you to choose when you work and enables you to fit your work around your other responsibilities. The work itself could involve filling envelopes, assembling products or selling goods or services through your own website.

However, any products or services you are asked to sell are worthless and you won’t be able to sell them.

You have to pay money up front to register with the scheme, buy customer leads, set up your web site, buy products to sell on, or receive an instruction manual on how to run your business.If you’re asked to assemble goods or fill envelopes, the fraudsters will find fault with your work and use it as a reason for not paying you.

Many of these schemes are straightforward pyramid schemes, where you will only earn money by introducing other people to it. For example: by selling them copies of the instruction manual.

Are you a victim of business opportunity fraud?

You’ve received an email or letter, seen an advert, or landed on a website explaining how you can make easy money by working at home, or by setting up your own online business.

You’ve paid money up front to register with the scheme, bought customer details, set up a new website, bought products to sell. However, the products are worthless.

What should you do if you've been a victim of business opportunity fraud?

Report any adverts for fraudulent business opportunities to the magazines, newspapers or web site operators that published them.

If you are asked to involve other people in the scheme, don’t. Keep any letters, emails or documents relating to the fraud as possible evidence.

Protect yourself against business opportunity fraud

Beware of adverts for business opportunities that state you can earn a specific or minimum amount of money.

Any advert that tells you that you can sit back and let a business run itself is a good indication of fraudsters at work.

Look out if the scheme operators give contact details that include mobile phone numbers beginning with 07 or web mail email addresses such as @yahoo or @hotmail. Genuine businesses do not use them.

Don’t be tempted by seemingly easy offers for work. You might find your personal details sold on to other scammers and you’ll become seen as an easy target.

Vehicle Matching Scams

Vehicle matching scams happen when a fraudster cold calls someone who has just placed an advert to sell their car.

The fraudster claims to have an immediate buyer for the car. They ask for an upfront fee which they say is refundable if the car isn’t sold. The car isn’t sold and the refund is never paid.

Vehicle matching fraud is a type of advance fee fraud.

Signature ‘harvesting’ Scams

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau’s (NFIB) Proactive Intelligence Team is warning people to beware of fraudsters that turn up on your doorstep and ask for your signature.

The Proactive Intelligence Team debriefs convicted offenders to identify emerging trends and have found that your signature is one part of a puzzle that the fraudsters are putting together. Your signature could be the final piece - once they get hold of it they could drain your bank account or commit identity crime.

A convicted fraudster who was recently interviewed said: “If we want to get someone’s signature it’s really easy. All we do is put on a fluorescent coat or vest, knock on the door and ask the person to sign for a letter or a flyer”.

“They don’t need signing for but nobody ever questions why and we don’t hang around for a chat! Once we have the signature we can make changes on their bank accounts and authorise fraudulent money transfers.”

How to protect yourself

Not expecting a delivery? Be suspicious. Question what you are signing for, look for official identification and if you do sign, just print

your name. Check your bank and financial statements carefully and report anything suspicious to the

bank or financial service provider concerned.

Criminals commit different frauds depending on the type of the personal information they manage to steal. Your identity is a precious commodity; you should take every precaution to ensure that it isn’t abused or stolen.

One in four of us living in the UK has fallen victim to an identity crime, losing on average £1,200 each. The knock-on effects can also be huge, causing massive personal distress and inconvenience and taking up to 200 hours of a persons’ or businesses’ time to fix.

Subscription Traps

This scam sees consumers trapped into long-term costly contracts by ‘free’ trials, or trial offers with health, nutrition and beauty related products most frequent. Complaints about slimming pills more than doubled form 2013/2014 to 2014/15 a trend which is continuing into 2016 with average losses of £135. 90% of those cases being online and in addition, many elderly people caught up into buying these products under the mass marketing ‘bumper prize’ scam.

Many complaints are about continuous payment authorities being used without the consumer’s permission.

Scam Scams!

The National Trading Standards Scams Team report fraudsters shamelessly touting a charitable fund competition in aid of scam victims. People are invited to send £35 to claim their prize. There are high numbers of bogus selling calls from scammers offering phone blocking technology. Another phone scam involves demanding money from people to renew their Telephone Preference Service (TPS) which is available free of charge.