Author Topic: Consumer news and scams  (Read 230344 times)

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Offline SteveH

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Re: Consumer news and scams
« Reply #585 on: January 30, 2020, 06:53:59 pm »
One for the good guys..........  Quick-thinking neighbour helps stop £3k scam against terrified pensioner in Flintshire
A fraudster claiming to be from HM Revenue and Customs had demanded money.

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/quick-thinking-neighbour-helps-stop-17660327

Offline Ian

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Re: Consumer news and scams
« Reply #586 on: January 31, 2020, 10:43:05 am »
It's a shame the DP no longer employs subs.  In your link, Steve, the wording says:

...terrified pensioner with jail unless she payed them thousands

"Payed" means  the deck or seams of a wooden ship were sealed with pitch or tar to prevent leakage.  A very basic error that a sub would have caught.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.


Offline SteveH

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Re: Consumer news and scams
« Reply #587 on: January 31, 2020, 10:50:55 am »
I am unwilling to add a comment, and I am embarrassed to admit that during a recent failing of my spell check function, I failed miserably.   :-[

Offline Ian

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Re: Consumer news and scams
« Reply #588 on: January 31, 2020, 11:03:13 am »
Well, spelling is the least important aspect of written English; meaning is the most important. But I think news media should be held to a higher standard. Let's face it many of us have trouble remembering whether to use 'practice' or 'practise' but if we see something in print it's easy to assume they must be correct because it's in print. Sadly not the case any more, it seems.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Consumer news and scams
« Reply #589 on: January 31, 2020, 11:21:04 am »
Gracious words, Ian, however, I am now studying https://www.writing-skills.com/practice-or-practise     :D

Offline SteveH

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Re: Consumer news and scams
« Reply #590 on: February 05, 2020, 11:13:10 am »
More than 40 people have been arrested in a crackdown on courier fraud across England and Wales.     BBC news

Police say more than 3,000 people, most of them elderly, have been duped into withdrawing large sums of cash and handing it to someone posing as a courier or police officer.

In October, a couple from Dorset lost almost £1m, including their pensions and all their savings.
The Dorset couple were left with just £187 after the fraudsters went back time and again.
They are typical victims of courier fraud, according to Cdr Baxter.   

"Fraudsters specifically target older people by exploiting their trust in the police and their bank, to bleed them dry," she said.
In a bid to raise awareness, fraud prevention experts advise people to end cold calls and seek advice from trusted friends or family members or to call their banks directly using the number on their bank cards.

They say police and banks will never ask for full passwords and pin numbers or ask for money to be handed or transferred to them.
cont  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51371433

Offline SteveH

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Re: Consumer news and scams
« Reply #591 on: February 07, 2020, 10:10:57 am »
Police warning over TV licensing email scam that could cost you thousands
North Wales Police warn that the scam is operating in the region - here's how to spot it.

It comes in the form of an email that purports to be from the TV Licensing Company.

The email claims there has been an issue with a bill, and that if details aren't updated, the victim's licence will be cancelled.
The scam, which addresses the recipient by name, explains that their licence could not be automatically renewed.
It says, "Oops! Something went wrong with your payment", and warns that without payment by a specific date the licence will be cancelled.

Official TV Licensing emails will always be from donotreply@tvlicensing.co.uk or donotreply@spp.tvlicensing.co.uk.

Suspicious emails will often be replicas of real correspondence, though amended slightly.   more  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/tv-licensing-email-scam-could-17700692

Offline OrmeMac

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Re: Consumer news and scams
« Reply #592 on: February 07, 2020, 10:24:42 am »
Police warning over TV licensing email scam that could cost you thousands
North Wales Police warn that the scam is operating in the region - here's how to spot it.

It comes in the form of an email that purports to be from the TV Licensing Company.

The email claims there has been an issue with a bill, and that if details aren't updated, the victim's licence will be cancelled.
The scam, which addresses the recipient by name, explains that their licence could not be automatically renewed.
It says, "Oops! Something went wrong with your payment", and warns that without payment by a specific date the licence will be cancelled.

Official TV Licensing emails will always be from donotreply@tvlicensing.co.uk or donotreply@spp.tvlicensing.co.uk.

Suspicious emails will often be replicas of real correspondence, though amended slightly.   more  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/tv-licensing-email-scam-could-17700692

Bad spelling or grammar are also a good clues.

Offline Ian

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Re: Consumer news and scams
« Reply #593 on: February 07, 2020, 10:41:29 am »
The use of the US 'License' gives that one away to those who know about it, but they are becoming harder to spot.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Consumer news and scams
« Reply #594 on: February 08, 2020, 12:21:55 pm »
After a few seconds of checking the Pioneer site, my full screen changed to the image below, I am assuming a scam. ?

Offline Ian

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Re: Consumer news and scams
« Reply #595 on: February 08, 2020, 12:53:43 pm »
It's adware - a virus, that's infected your computer.  Not hard to get rid of.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Consumer news and scams
« Reply #596 on: February 08, 2020, 01:28:46 pm »
It's adware - a virus, that's infected your computer.  Not hard to get rid of.
Thanks Ian, I cancelled browsing history, no repeats so far, fingers crossed.

PS Just to be clear for other readers,  I did not action the scams request to press OK,

Offline SteveH

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Re: Consumer news and scams
« Reply #597 on: February 20, 2020, 10:32:02 am »
THE fire service has warned residents of a scam email pretending to be sent from its headquarters.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said a phishing email requesting personal information from an address under the name ‘dpo@nwlaes_fireservice.org.uk’.

The email contains a number of spelling mistakes but uses the postal address of the fire service’s Data Protection Officer.
The fire service said the email has not originated from within the organisation.
In a statement it said that “under no circumstances” should the email be responded to.

“If you receive such an email under no circumstances should you reply to it or click on any links it contains,” the statement said.
“It is recommended that you block the sender’s address and delete the email immediately.”

Phishing is a type of online scam where criminals send an email that appears to be from a legitimate organisation and ask you to provide sensitive information.

It is usually done by including a link that will appear to take you to the organisation’s website to fill in your information – but the website is a clever fake and the information you provide goes straight to the crooks behind the scam.

Anyone who receives the email can report it to ActionFraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime at www.actionfraud.police.uk/report-phishing.                                                     ref Pioneer

Offline Meleri

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Re: Consumer news and scams
« Reply #598 on: February 20, 2020, 01:42:48 pm »
Just sitting here waiting for my imminent arrest. Apparently, according to a telephone call I received an hour ago Telephone Number 02896205548 HMRC have filled a lawsuit against me & issued an arrest warrant. But if I press 1 I can speak to the case officer who is dealing with my case ! As I was typing this out I have received the same call yet again. It's really not my week, we received a parking ticket yesterday at Ysbyty Gwynedd for parking on double yellow lines. As there was no yellow kerb lines we thought it would be OK to park as we have a Blue Badge. There was no signage to say we couldn't & there were queues waiting to enter both Disabled Drivers Car Parks  :(

Offline Ian

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Re: Consumer news and scams
« Reply #599 on: February 20, 2020, 02:25:42 pm »
Meleri: you should appeal the parking ticket. On the 'phone call, you can see from this site that it's a common scam
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.