Consumer Support Network
Current top 10 scams
Below is the Barking and Dagenham Trading Standards' Top 10 complained about scams:
- Email warning
Scams claiming to be from your bank and asking for your account details. It's not from your bank and once they have full access, they will take your money
- An email or letter from abroad
Apparently sent by a 15 year old boy whose father has just died. It asks for account details to launder some ill-gotten gains. Once you give your account details they will take all your money
- Competition prize draw
Says you have won a prize and shows a prize allocation number. The latest ones have a premium rate telephone number and you then have to send money to process your claim. Needless to say, what you receive is worthless to most people
- Telephone call from Canada
Telling you that you have won the national lottery and they want money to process your claim. They take money from you a bit at a time. 2 older British people ended up paying over £60,000 before they realised it must be a scam
- Internet scams (Trojan diallers)
A rogue dialler diverts your telephone line from your usual internet provider to a premium rate telephone line - usually through pop-up boxes. It diverts your telephone line to countries like Africa and Norfolk Island in the South Pacific and can cost you hundreds
- Pyramid schemes (often aimed at women only)
You are asked to send money to names on a list, drop one name off and add your name to the list and sit back and watch the money roll in! Or not!
- Bogus credit card fraud checks
You get a call from someone who says they are from your card's Fraud Department. Just checking that particular transactions are yours - you end up giving them information and they order stuff in your name
- Data protection registration
For your business, asking for £95. Most businesses don't need to register and you can do it direct for £35. The same people are now offering Health and Safety compliance packs - this time asking for over £200. You can get the pack yourself for £10
- Domain names
Aimed at small businesses. Claiming your right to certain names on the internet is in jeopardy. You have to pay to get exclusive use. You give your credit card details and the caller orders goods in your name
- Envelope addressing
Adverts offering to give you employment doing envelope addressing and asking you to send money to register - don't. There is no work, just a scheme to put your own adverts out to get people to join the scheme. You get paid for their names and addresses
If you want to report a scam, contact us at the address shown.
Contact
Trading Standards
Environmental and Enforcement Services
Roycraft House
15 Linton Road
Barking
IG11 8HE
Supported by Barking and Dagenham Direct:
Tel: 020 8215 3000
Fax: 020 8227 5184
Textphone: 020 8227 5755
Email: 3000direct@lbbd.gov.uk|
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8am - 8pm.
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