Who received one (or all!!) of these text messages? These texts have been sent by criminals who have created the fake websites to look similar to the genuine websites, with the same branding, layout and font choices. The websites each ask you for personal information, including financial information. DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK.
If you think you have provided scammers with your financial details, contact your bank immediately. If you receive what you think is a fake message, forward the text message, including the phone number or company name, to 7726. It won’t cost you anything and it means your phone provider can investigate the sender. Report all scams to us via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.
Too good to be true: From fake caravan or motorhome listings to “too good to be true” offers for holidays, villa rentals and holiday lets, criminals use a variety of methods to trick us into handing over our money and information.
This may include expertly designed websites that seem professional and convincing, using images of luxury villas and apartments that don’t exist to convince you they’re trusted and genuine. These are offered for rent, often at discounted prices and require a deposit to be made which is never returned.
Before making any purchases, make sure you do lots of research into your accommodation, flights or the package that you’re hoping to book to ensure it’s genuine. Where possible, use a credit card when making purchases over £100 and up to £30,000 as you receive protection under Section 75.
Scam calls: Beware of the scam calls from criminals pretending to be from the National Crime Agency. There have been reports received of automated calls claiming to be from the National Crime Agency and Inland Revenue, with the caller stating that your National Insurance number has been involved in criminal activity. You are encouraged to call a number to "resolve" the issue, or press 1 to speak to an adviser. They state that failure to speak to them will result in the suspension of your National Insurance Number. THIS IS A SCAM!
Do not telephone the number provided, or provide anyone with your personal details, including your bank or credit card information. HMRC is aware of these automated phone call scams. To help their investigations you should report full details of the scam by email to: phishing@hmrc.gov.uk, including the:
- date of the call
- phone number used
- content of the call.
Motorbike helmets: Thinking of buying a motorcycle helmet for yourself or a loved one? Make sure the helmet bought is genuine and compliant. Just because a helmet is being sold via established online trading platforms, this doesn’t mean it is safe and legal. Helmets must be labelled to either of these standards:
BS6658:1985 and carry the BS Kitemark or UNECE Regulation 22.06
Other things you can look out for include:
- Stickers that haven’t been applied properly
- Not in its original box
- Lack of booklets, labels and tags
- Poor quality paintwork
- Scratches on visor/helmet
- The weight of the helmet (counterfeit helmets are often lighter)
If you find a branded helmet on an unknown website at a far lower cost than the manufacturers, then this should trigger alarm bells.
SHARP is the Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme. You can use the SHARP rating system to help you make an informed choice on choosing the best motorcycle crash helmets sharp.dft.gov.uk/
Report any safety concerns to Trading Standards via 0808 223 113
Registering products: Our kitchens have been special over the past year. With the aid of several important appliances, not only did they keep everyone clean and fed, but they also provided a space for some magic and fun in difficult times. Yet recent government research has revealed 49% of people never registered their products, and the domestic appliances - used in essential tasks such as cooking and refrigerating food, washing laundry and dishes and vacuuming - total over 210 million.
As part of the Fire Kills Campaign, we are encouraging people to make their homes safer by registering machines at http://registermyappliance.org.uk/ to ensure all their home appliances – particularly older previously forgotten ones - can be located if a safety repair is ever needed.