Scams

Large community and religious WhatsApp groups are being targeted by scammers who infiltrate these groups to deceive their members into sending them money. Action Fraud confirm they have received 268 reports since January this year.

A person in their 60s has been conned into handing over £150,000 in a cryptocurrency scam, police have said.

Gloucestershire Police have repeated warnings about the dangers of these types of crimes.

Police are warning people to remain vigilant over free smartphone giveaways which are scams.

Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, has received more than 800 reports relating to fake emails purporting to giveaway free mobile phones.

Nottinghamshire fraud officers are urging residents to say ‘no’ to cold callers after numerous victims were conned out of thousands of pounds.

Nottinghamshire Police has received a rise in reports of rogue or bogus traders targeting vulnerable residents in doorstep scams.

https://westbridgfordwire.com/warning-after-spate-of-cold-caller-scams-in-nottinghamshire-con-victims-out-of-more-than-100000/

The Security Minister convened a meeting of the Joint Fraud Taskforce to discuss measures to tackle fraud including an online fraud charter.

Representatives from across the private sector met at 10 Downing Street to update government on progress made to tackle fraud and protect the public from scams.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-and-industry-meet-to-progress-the-fight-against-fraud

It is sad but true that during the very difficult cost of living crisis we are facing, scams are still on the rise.

TSB warned last week that WhatsApp scams have risen by more than 300 per cent.

Officials are warning people to remain vigilant over fake email purporting to be from mortgage lenders.

Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, has received 538 reports in two weeks relating to fake emails purporting to be from mortgage lenders.

Three rogue traders have been jailed for their part in duping vulnerable pensioners out of nearly £400,000 for home repairs which sometimes didn't even need doing.

The victims even ended up dipping into their life savings to pay for the shoddy work after being preyed on by husband and wife Andrew Lovell, 43, and Madeline Lovell, 41, from Coppice Green, Elton, and Kevin Brown, 61, from Llys Pont Y Felin in Mold. The pensioners targeted by the trio were also left feeling 'powerless, frustrated and embarrassed' and unsafe in their own homes.

https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/cold-calculating-rogue-traders-conned-27225381.amp

Online fraud is today’s most common crime. Victims are often told they are foolish for falling for it, but fraudsters use psychological mechanisms to infiltrate the defences of their targets, regardless of how intelligent they are.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/scammers-psychology-create-most-convincing-151929184.html/

France has hit back at a wave of online scams involving influencers, who have persuaded their followers to part with savings for miracle cancer cures or other fake products.

A new law threatens online content creators with steep fines and two-year jail terms for promoting dangerous services or misleading commercial practices.