FCNW: Trading Standards Update 27/11/2012

Warwickshire Consumer Empowerment Partnership Countywide launch. For more information visit:

http://news.warwickshire.gov.uk/blog/2012/11/27/consumers-are-empowered-by-county-launch/

27/11/2012 Fraudulent Credit Brokers

Warwickshire Trading Standards are warning consumers looking for loans to beware of cold calls from bogus loan companies offering to arrange loans for a fee. One consumer was contacted by phone and offered a £3000 loan if he agreed to pay £110 first. He paid and was then asked to send a further £280 by Western Union transfer. The consumer paid again, a total of £390, but the loan was not forthcoming and the trader disappeared.

Never respond to unsolicited texts or phone calls offering loans.

27/11/2012 Bogus Benefits Claims

Consumers, warn Warwickshire Trading Standards, should not respond to international callers claiming they are owed £1000 in benefits. Such calls are advanced fee frauds where the caller will try and steal money or personal or financial information in return for providing the non-existent ‘benefits’.

27/11/2012 Scam computer ‘fix’ companies

Warwickshire Trading Standards are again warning consumers not to engage with bogus businesses who claim your computer is broken and needs repairing.

Consumers should never allow anyone they don’t know or trust to take remote access of their PC. Some consumers have reported receiving eight calls a today from such fraudulent companies.

Please feel free to cascade this information to whom-ever you feel appropriate (including using the information in your newsletters/websites etc.).

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simoncripwell@warwickshire.gov.uk

For more information on scams, visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams

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