Hampshire Constabulary has revealed details of some of the latest online and telephone scams that have been reported in the region.
Recently, many of us may have found ourselves spending more time online – whether that be socialising or purchasing items via online auction and social media platforms such as Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree.
On some occasions, unsuspecting buyers are purchasing items online and sending money to who they perceive are genuine sellers via PayPal, but then do not receive the products they’ve purchased.
Over the last two weeks (23 September – 5 October) there have been 14 reports across Hampshire relating to PayPal issues, whereby money has been obtained fraudulently, resulting in losses of over £3,800.
If you are purchasing items from someone unknown to you and they request payment via PayPal, then please be aware that there is an option to select ‘paying for goods or services’. This essentially means that the seller has to pay a nominal fee to receive the money. In doing so, this is likely to result in ensuring that the seller is genuine, and is also covered by PayPal’s protection policy – meaning you may be liable to a refund if it has deemed that fraudulent activity has occurred.
Alongside this online scam, cold-callers have reportedly been targeting local residents by offering fraudulent mobile phone contracts.
Unfortunately, Hampshire Constabulary have had numerous reports recently concerning local residents being cold-called by fraudsters purporting to be from mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse; offering a new phone deal or contract to the unsuspected victims.
Personal and bank details are provided by the victim believing they are speaking with the retailer. Sadly, the reality is that fraudsters are then using these details to fraudulently obtain mobile devices on long-term contracts from the company, but in the victim’s name.
On one occasion, a Hampshire resident received a call from an individual purporting to be from Carphone Warehouse, encouraging them to enter into a new contract for a brand-new phone and tablet device.
The victim received the wrong items so arranged to return them to an address provided by the fraudster on 2 different occasions, until they grew suspicious.
They contacted Carphone Warehouse to alert them to the fact they’d returned the device, but the company had no knowledge of any such request but did confirm that a new contract had been set up in their name.
Upon checking their bank account, the victim had been charged approximately £245 in the process
As such, this is a stark warning to local residents not to provide personal or banking details over the phone to someone who you have received a cold-call from, even if they suggest they are from a well-recognised retailer, bank or even the police. Those organisations will never ask you for your banking or debit / credit card details.
Reputable and genuine companies will not be offended by you wanting to verify that they are who they say they are; however ensure that the number you hold for that company or have has come from a reputable source, not one that the fraudsters may have given you over the phone.
If you’re suspicious about the phone call, police advise you to hang up and then contact the retailer directly to check it is a genuine. Wait 15 minutes before doing so, just in case the fraudsters have kept your line open.
As always, if you believe that you have been a victim of crime, including fraud, please report this to Hampshire Constabulary via the website or by calling 101. If a crime is in progress, dial 999 immediately.
At least one of the ‘Carphone warehouse’ scam call centres is located in Lahore Pakistan. Details taken from ‘customers’ are used to create money mule accounts and also sold on to other scammers.
Always use a fake name and other details when receiving a cold call, if it turns out to be genuine you can always use the excuse of avoiding scammers. Check UK scambaiter Dan Gleeballs’ channel on Youtube to see how the scam works.
Debt relief, HMRC & Amazon and other refund scammers seem to be currently quite active.
I received a lot from a Bournemouth number a while ago. Kept trying to tell me I’d bought an iphone, or that my computer had been used for illegal activity or my prime account was up to something, I don’t have amazon prime even though they sneakily made me a member a year or two ago, it was like trying to get blood out of a stone to get the money refunded, i am so careful not to tick anything but they try to make sure they sneak it in without you being aware, so placing an amazon order is a stressful affair trying to be sure it doesn’t happen again.
Make sure, if you can that you don’t have your credit card number saved on any shopping website site. The function might be put there for your convenience, but it also makes it convenient for fraudsters.
I had to block Amazon from all my bank accounts because many years ago they started taking money from my account for items i had never ordered.
When i raised it with Amazon they refused to talk to me because it wasn’t my Amazon account that my bank details were on. They just quoted, data protection and carried on taking money out of my account despite the goods were going to somewhere other than the Isle of Wight.
my wife was scammed from a company purposing to be from Talk Talk the phone call from the voice, believed to be from India , i contacted talk talk as there was a large amount of money removed from her account , i contacted Talk Talk by Royal Mail but exhonerated themselves from liabilty, we have now removed not only Talk talk but all Service providers this includes I.O.W Council tax ,from the bank account , Service providers now do not have control of the bank account,by means of a direct debit .
One of worst scams is council tax , no choice what it is spent on and ltd services in return for £2,700 a year.
Ooh I had a call from Car phone Warehouse the other day !
Alas for him he got ME ….
How’s your day going? How are you?
Is it a good time to talk ?
Mmmmmmm let me think ….
No it’s my day off and you are really not welcome!!!!!!
As for replies…
1 = worse for being disturbed by you .
2= better before you called….
3 = No …..
4 I won’t go there !!!!!
Sadly they will always find someone who is not so good at picking up cold calls and that is what they hope for !!!!
Total Scumbags….
Just remembered carphone warehouse phone no code was 0206 and just seen a warning starting with same code from HMRC re Tax .
Beware !!!!!
It might help if Banks and Retailers etc. etc. had a Security e-mail address displayed prominently on the home page of their websites rather than making it often quite difficult to find the right place to report possible scams. I had quite a problem with Paypal the other day trying to find where to report a possible scam which didn’t seem fit with what they covered.