Consumer news and scams

[Ian]

It is, but it might have re-emerged.

[snowcap]

Postal Scam:
Can you circulate this around especially as Xmas is fast approaching: 
 
It has been confirmed by Royal Mail. The Trading Standards Office are making people aware of the following scam:

A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911 (a Premium rate number).
 
DO NOT call this number, as this is a mail scam originating from Belize .

If you call the number and you start to hear a recorded message you will already have been billed £315 for the phone call.
 

[Yorkie]

That scam was supposed o have been closed down in 2005.   Untrue rumour in 2011 that it had resurfaced.   You are your best own judge!   ££$

[DaveR]

As Mulder once said...the truth is out there:

http://www.snopes.com/fraud/telephone/pds.asp

[born2run]

Postal Scam:
Can you circulate this around especially as Xmas is fast approaching: 
 
It has been confirmed by Royal Mail. The Trading Standards Office are making people aware of the following scam:

A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911 (a Premium rate number).
 
DO NOT call this number, as this is a mail scam originating from Belize .

If you call the number and you start to hear a recorded message you will already have been billed £315 for the phone call.

The scam is still working I phoned the number and sure enough you do get a recorded message

 

[Yorkie]

The scam is still working I phoned the number and sure enough you do get a recorded message
 

Don't expect us to have a whip round for the £315 you've been charged! L0L

[DaveR]

The scam is still working I phoned the number and sure enough you do get a recorded message
 

Don't expect us to have a whip round for the £315 you've been charged! L0L

I actually think its impossible to be charged so much for one phone call, even at premium rate. The maximum you can be charged is £2.55 a minute and thats from a mobile phone:
http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/For-the-Public/Premium-rate-number-guide.aspx

[born2run]

I think texts can be more though - seen a few for charity etc where you can donate a fiver to charity - and there used to be a betting one that you could do where it would charge you a fiver straight from your phone bill or credit. But it allowed you to put any winnings back into your own account

thus

I had my own scam going at the time - because I was on pay as you go - with Orange if you topped up by £30 or more you got free texts and phone calls all month.

So I would top up by £30 -  stick on 6 relatively easy win bets at a fiver each- and then stick all the winnings back in my account.
Most times I would get at least all and often more of my £30 back and enjoyed the luxury of having free texts and calls!
o
But alas the i phone bug got me so I'm now tied up all in a contract 

[Yorkie]

A new Scam on the block, or new to me.   Receipt from PayPal payment to Skype asking you to follow a link if you dispute it.
Details here to save me a lot of typing.

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/skype-top-up-paypal-phishing-scam.shtml

Don't get caught.

[Yorkie]

In early November last, I had new Gas and Electricity meters fitted at the instigation of British Gas.  They are the new, so called, Smart Meters, and smart they certainly are!   My first bill has increased by 70% over the same period last year, so that's SMART - especially for British Gas!  Needless to say Yorkie is a bit miffed, and apart from filing a complaint, has stopped the DD until the amount can be justified.

Anyone else had any experiences with BG?
 :rage:

[Fester]

Yorkie... not British Gas as such, but...

Since having a lot of work done on our house, we have done away with the Gas Fire, and the Gas Cooker.
The only Gas appliance we have is the boiler, and although it is serving more radiators now, I had expected a reduction in the amount of Gas we use.

Sadly, our average gas bills are about 30% higher than previously!

[DaveR]

In early November last, I had new Gas and Electricity meters fitted at the instigation of British Gas.  They are the new, so called, Smart Meters, and smart they certainly are!   My first bill has increased by 70% over the same period last year, so that's SMART - especially for British Gas!  Needless to say Yorkie is a bit miffed, and apart from filing a complaint, has stopped the DD until the amount can be justified.

Anyone else had any experiences with BG?
 :rage:

Perhaps your old meter was faulty?

https://www.gov.uk/smart-meters-how-they-work

[Merddin Emrys]

Yorkie, were you away on a cruise a year ago? Was the weather milder a year ago? We are with Scottish Power, dual fuel, direct debit, Internet account, it went down for us recently!  D)

[Yorkie]

In early November last, I had new Gas and Electricity meters fitted at the instigation of British Gas.  They are the new, so called, Smart Meters, and smart they certainly are!   My first bill has increased by 70% over the same period last year, so that's SMART - especially for British Gas!  Needless to say Yorkie is a bit miffed, and apart from filing a complaint, has stopped the DD until the amount can be justified.

Anyone else had any experiences with BG?
 :rage:

Perhaps your old meter was faulty?

https://www.gov.uk/smart-meters-how-they-work

But then again, it may not.  We shall wait and see.  Meters are not accurate and being a new installation could be incorrectly calibrated. 

[Yorkie]

Yorkie, were you away on a cruise a year ago? Was the weather milder a year ago? We are with Scottish Power, dual fuel, direct debit, Internet account, it went down for us recently!  D)

Cruise was prior to charging period.  Our use of power tends to be fairly constant as past bills (over a number of years) indicate. Taking into consideration increases in charges.

The difference is a bit too much for me to find a reasonable explanation. 

Might be time for a change in supplier which I have never done in the years we have been here.