Stockport Council’s Trading Standards is warning Stockport residents not to fall foul of the‘12 scams of Christmas.’ The advice, which applies to all situations where someone is trying to part you from your money is:
- Don’t give bank or personal details to anyone over the phone or on the internet unless you are sure you know who you are dealing with;
- Think about whether you want the goods or services offered and if you do, where do you want to buy them;
- There is no purchase so urgent that it can’t wait a couple of days while you make some enquiries;
- Shop around to compare prices and check with family, friends or professional organisations for recommendations or warnings;
- Make sure you know who you are dealing with and how to contact them if things go wrong.
Councillor Stuart Bodsworth, Stockport Council’s Executive Member for the Communities and Sustainability, said:
“The Council is committed to doing all we can to help residents avoid becoming a victim of a scam over the festive period. The key message to remember is that you are in charge, there are simple steps you can take to guard against scams and if you think you’ve spotted a scam, report it immediately. If something appears to be too good to be true, it probably is not true.”
The 12 scams we have focussed on are:
- ‘Check it’ used car campaign – before you buy a used car, check it out! Check the MOT certificate, the service history and the V5c (the ‘log book’ that shows who the registered keeper is). Don’t accept excuses, if the seller says they can’t show you these documents you should be suspicious.
- Loans sharks and illegal money lending – report it and get help from a specialist team. Trading Standards advise how people can report ‘loan sharks’ (illegal money lenders) in complete confidence and explains the work of the Illegal Money Lending Team.
- Malware being downloaded as Apps for smart phones and tablets – check the ratings and have anti-malware installed. Watch out for suspicious activity on your phone or if your battery starts draining really quickly.
- Card fraud (including ‘official’ fraud warning calls) – fraudsters are ringing to trick people into handing over their PIN number or even their card by pretending to be calling from the bank, the card provider or even the Police. They make it sound urgent to panic the cardholder and catch them off-guard. We explain the methods the fraudsters use.
- Calls from fake officials – the Office of Fair Trading, fake solicitors and fake websites. Fraudsters are pretending to be from the OFT or from a genuine solicitor’s office, ringing people to offer refunds of PPI or other claims. The callers ask for personal details on the basis that they are ‘authorised’ to give money back. This is not true.
- Update on ‘Pension liberation’ and other investment scams – arrests made. Following on from our warning last year, we are pleased to report that the National Crime Agency has closed down websites and made arrests of those suspected of defrauding people of their pensions. We also offer advice on other financial frauds that are very plausible but sadly are not what they seem.
- Council tax re-banding scams – report if you think you have been conned. Some people have paid upfront fees to firms claiming their homes are in the wrong Council Tax band but they have not heard anything since. We offer advice on how to avoid the scam and how to check you are in the right band for free.
- Fraud when buying or selling via on-line auctions. We offer advice on what to look out for to avoid being scammed and what to do if it goes wrong. Most importantly, never trader ‘off-site’ because you will not be able to use the dispute resolution scheme for problems.
- Scams on businesses – what to look out for. This article covers some of the common scams that are aimed mainly at small businesses. Making yourself aware of the tricks will mean you can take steps to avoid being caught out whether you are a business owner or an employee.
- Prize draws, letters from ‘psychics’ and foreign lotteries: Some people send hundreds of pounds a year trying to claim prizes, usually to overseas-based fraudsters. Trading Standards provides advice on how to spot if your relatives or friends are being targeted.
- ‘Free trials’ of products and services – new offers are still tempting victims. If a fraudster is offering a free trial they will require quick cancellation to avoid further charges but the people who are behind the scams are making it nearly impossible to cancel. They then claim more money from your bank and you could lose hundreds of pounds in a couple of months.
- Working at home scams, money laundering and fake job adverts – fraudsters are taking advantage of people who are desperate to get a job by offering very attractive ‘business opportunities’ setting up your own business. Often the potential rewards are vastly over-stated, the products are very poor quality and there is no exclusivity, despite the claims. Fake job adverts have even been used to gain personal information by installing malware on home computers and stealing bank details etc.
The ’12 Scams of Christmas’ campaign is part of a Christmas safety initiative which aims to inform Stockport residents of ways they can protect themselves and their property over the festive season. It aims to continue the eight year trend of crime reduction in Stockport by promoting messages which will help residents protect themselves and their property from crime.
Discover the magic of Christmas in Stockport, to find out how to get involved visit www.stockport.gov.uk/christmas. Join in the conversation on social media using #SKChristmas