Frauds

Elderly and vulnerable people in Herefordshire are being targeted by fraudsters claiming to be from various police forces from around the country.

The criminals have scammed some of the victims into handing over or transferring money, or sharing PIN information.

West Mercia Police is asking everyone to pass on information about bogus callers to relatives, friends and neighbours who may be at risk to such scams.

https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/23928584.police-warning-courier-fraud-herefordshire/

Two individuals have been found guilty of making £3mn worth of fraudulent mortgage applications, following a prosecution brought by the Financial Conduct Authority.

https://www.ftadviser.com/regulation/2023/11/15/two-guilty-of-arranging-3mn-of-fraudulent-mortgage-applications/

A SCAM netted £225,000 in insurance payuts by fraudulently claiming high-value classic cars had been stolen.

The fraud took place from 2009 to 2017 and involved 21 claims for ‘stolen’ classics for between £10,000 and £25,000

Jennifer Stewart, 51, today pleaded guilty to fraudulently claiming over £45,000 of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

She had claimed she was too ill to work, telling her benefits assessor she could not cope with public places or people, that she was unable to leave her house due to severe depression and anxiety, and that her son had to take her out and do her shopping.

The tough economic climate is helping criminals to flourish in the supply chain, but there are key measures that businesses can – and should – take to safeguard themselves and their customers.

https://www.raconteur.net/supply-chain/supply-chain-fraud

Police officers in Kent have intercepted cash that was posted to phone fraudsters by a pensioner from Tonbridge.

The victim, aged in her late 70s, received a phone call on Thursday 2 November, by a person who claimed to represent Santander, who she banked with.

https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2023-11-10/officers-intercept-cash-after-pensioner-targeted-by-phone-fraudsters

A HEREFORDSHIRE farmer who was jailed after controversially bulldozing a riverbank has allegedly lost tens of thousands of pounds to an agricultural machinery scam.

https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/23915573.lugg-riverbank-scandal-farmer-falls-39-000-scam/

A couple have denied 28 charges after being accused of defrauding landlords in Telford.

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/telford/2023/11/10/telford-pair-deny-28-charges-of-fraud-against-landlords/

A man has managed to get his house back two years after it was sold without his knowledge.

The Reverend Mike Hall returned to his Luton home in July 2021 to discover it had been sold without his permission after his identity was stolen.

East Lancashire's main train operator is deploying a team of digital fraud experts to catch persistent fare dodgers.

Northern has issued a warning that offenders with a ‘proven pattern of behaviour’ should expect to be prosecuted for historic cases of fare evasion.