Be Aware - New Year Scam Alert!

This morning I received a call on my mobile phone that appeared to be coming from a mobile phone (the number was 07456 998510) with an automated voice (female, English accent, well spoken) that said it was from 'Mastercard' and that 2 suspicious amounts had been paid from my account yesterday (I've since checked and nothing was paid out).

I was asked to press "1" - Immediately I was suspicious, so did not.

Anyway, as I said, I checked my account and looked up the number on google, nothing found, not regarding scams and that number either.

The UK Finance website makes us aware of this sort of scam, and I reported it to the Financial Conduct Authority at their website.

But please don't necessarily click on these links if this blog appears suspicious to you, just use your own search engine to link to UK Finance or the Financial Conduct Authority, better to be safe, but do be aware!

Stay safe folks!

Beware of False Vaccinator Scams and others!

After seeing the film of the evil fraudster who assaulted and conned a 92 year-old woman out of £160 in London recently (BBC), and a number of other warnings of scams regarding COVID-19 vaccinations by telephone or on the doorstep (eg Age UK), I thought a warning blog would be urgently appropriate.

There are, it appears, other scams where so-called 'vaccinators' attempt to gain access to steal. For details of the types of scam currently occurring, though I haven't heard of any similar ones in Hastings yet, but that doesn't mean to say they haven't happened, anyway, go to the Age UK website for details of these and many other scams.

Remember, the NHS is NOT carrying out any door-to-door vaccinations, the NHS does not charge for vaccinations, the NHS state they will contact people direct offering them vaccinations and not by turning up on doorsteps (NHS website). 

Also Track & Trace do not ask for bank details or payments, do not ask for, or set up, PINs or passwords, and do not ask you to call back on premium rate numbers (beginning with 09 or 087 for example). If people receive telephone calls and the conversation develops in such a way it will be a scam, do not fall for it, it is a scam!

Be careful folks, and stay safe!

Council Tax - Yet another telephone scam!

Hastings Borough Council (facebook) have warned of a telephone scam happening locally regarding council tax, where the caller says they are from the council and that a council tax 'refund' can be given, if you "pay a fee to release the paperwork" 😼 

There is the giveaway! MONEY!! Being asked for money should raise everyone's alertness, indeed, the Council state they would "never ask for a fee of this kind." 

If you receive a call of this king please let them know at fraud@hastings.gov.uk 

Apologies! Previous Blog has now been written, honest!

Sorry about that, my previous blog had been published by me in error, completely empty of text, concerning telephone scams and Coronavirus/Covid-19 tracing and testing, I obviously pressed the 'publish' button instead of the 'save' button.

Again, apologies from this bampot (a term of endearment my brother uses for me when I've been silly or made an error), the blog is now worth reading, cheers!

I won't do it again... 😕

TELEPHONE SCAM WARNING - COVID-19 TEST & TRACE

Councils around the country are warning us to be on our guard against scammers posing as NHS Contact Tracers (BBC). In the scam a telephone call from the scammer, claiming to be from the NHS Test & Trace Service, informs you that you may have come into contact with somebody who has Coronavirus or Covid-19, and that you need to self-isolate and take a test. Then they ask you to confirm your address so that a testing kit may be sent to you, and then they request Bank Card details "to cover the cost of the testing kit." You now know this is a scam!

"In a genuine call, contact tracers will never:

• ask you to dial a premium rate number (for example, those starting 09 or 087)

• ask you to make any form of payment

• ask for any details about your bank account

• ask for your social media identities or login details, or those of your contacts

• ask you for any passwords or Pin codes, or ask you to set up any passwords or Pin codes over the phone

• ask you to purchase a product - including a test

• ask you to download any software to your device or ask you to hand over control of your PC, smartphone or tablet

• ask you to access any website that does not belong to the government or NHS

Source: Ofcom

Anyone receiving a call they suspect is not genuine should report the call to Action Fraud."

Sorry about the previous published blog, I hadn't meant to post then, obviously hit the wrong button, instead of 'save' 😕