Local
Contact: Joan Pattison, Church
Cottage (Tel 812570)
F416 280509
1.
Now
that the weather is warming up we are
again seeing the increase in thefts
from properties where entry has been gained via insecure doors and
windows....
Particular attention should be paid to securing down stairs windows and
doors
not only overnight but when the property is unoccupied even for the
shortest of
times such as when working in the garden or popping next door for a
coffee or
gin and tonic!! It is worth remembering that it only take seconds for
entry to
be gained and for a purse, a wallet, a handbag or cash to be stolen
2.
The
following warning has been sent from Consumer
Direct
Scammers have been targeting residents in the South West with a phone
scam that
claims they need to pay a bill to BT.
Calls to Consumer Direct typically claim that the
unsolicited phone call
is from BT about an unpaid bill, often between £30 -
£75. When
challenged the caller attempts to
demonstrate his control by disconnecting the phone line for a few
minutes. They may
then call back asking for payment
claiming the consumer had been sent the bill and it must be paid
immediately or
the phone line would now be disconnected.
It seems the payment goes to an online company. Callers have described the
conmen as 'glib'
and 'having an answer for any of your questions and suspicions'.
Consumer Direct (and BT) advise consumers never to give out any
personal and
banking details over the phone unless they are absolutely certain who
they are
dealing with. BT
also confirm that in
any event they would never make calls such as these.
As always, if you are unsure, please call Consumer Direct on 08454 04
05 06 to
report such calls.
3.
’DON'T FALL FOR £3 MILLION
CAR-SELLING
SCAM’ WARNS CONSUMER DIRECT
Consumer Direct, the OFT-managed advice service, is today warning
consumers
about vehicle matching scams which cost UK consumers nearly
£3 million every
year.
Vehicle matching firms work by approaching consumers selling their cars
and
promising to match them with definite buyers. Typically, the seller is
cold-called by phone once they have placed an advert in a magazine, on
a
website or in a newspaper. They are promised that a buyer exists for
their
vehicle but are required to pay a matcher's fee up front before the
sale is
completed. However in many cases there is no buyer, the contract with
the
vehicle matcher cannot be cancelled, and any money paid is lost.
Last year over 1600 private sellers of second hand cars complained to
Consumer
Direct about the practice, losing between £80 and
£99 each, but the true number
of victims is thought to be much larger.
The OFT has co-ordinated the sharing of intelligence between different
enforcement agencies to target action against traders engaged in unfair
commercial practices, assisted on enforcement action, and has organized
a day
of action with the police, local authority Trading Standards Services
and
consumer bodies to crack down on the car matching scammers.
Clive Kenyon, Centre Manager at Consumer Direct South West, said: 'If
you're
cold called by traders promising to put you in touch with guaranteed
buyers,
it's worth thinking very carefully before paying an up-front fee.'
Further information on vehicle matching scams is available on the
Consumer
Direct website at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk
. People seeking individual advice can call 08454 04 05 06.