FRAUDSTERS are exploiting the Government energy rebate and Ukraine fund-raising initiatives among the latest scams targeting Warwickshire residents.
Warwickshire Trading Standards is warning residents to beware of scammers cold calling them and asking for bank details in order to qualify for the government’s £150 energy rebate. The con-artists use this information to steal money from bank accounts.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/mrdz48fy for more information.
Action Fraud has received 196 reports about fake emails purporting to raise money for those affected by the crisis in Ukraine.
Scammers use a variety of methods to con donors, including selling charity T-shirts.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/mr2x4zwn for more information.
Warwickshire residents have reported being cold-called by people offering to make Marriage Allowance tax rebates on their behalf, for a percentage of any money gained.
The callers ask residents for their National Insurance number and ask them to sign agreements. Residents have reported then being chased for hundreds of pounds with the threat of court action if they don’t pay up.
Marriage Allowance lets you transfer £1,260 of your Personal Allowance to your husband, wife or civil partner. This reduces their tax by up to £252 in the tax year. Claims can also be backdated.
Residents are reminded that this is something they can apply for themselves.
Visit www.gov.uk/marriage-allowance for more information.
Fraudsters are also targeting people who use pre-payment energy meters.
They offer people a cut price deal on their doorstep, for example £50 of electricity meter top-up for a cash payment of just £25. However, the fraudsters are using cloned keys to top up energy credit illegally and energy companies do not receive payment for energy used, and the customer ends up paying for the energy twice – first to the fraudsters and then to their energy company.
Warwickshire residents have reported receiving bogus emails falsely purporting to come from delivery companies that state they have missed a parcel delivery.
The emails usually direct recipients to a link to a website where they can ‘reschedule their package delivery’ – but in reality these websites are designed to steal personal and financial information and may even ask consumers to make a payments to receive their non-existent package.
Visit www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/report-scam-email to report scam emails.
