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Scam

Serious Fraud Office – Be aware! Current scams

You might not have heard of the very latest scams happening at the moment – keep up to date and be aware of current fraud by regularly checking the  Serious Fraud Office web site.

Explore the different types of fraud and be aware of the biggest deceptions out there. Check out  latest news for fresh updates on fraud.

The Money Made Clear website has some useful information from the Financial Services Authority on current scams.

Follow these links to find out more about these scams:

* Advance fee schemes – letters or emails that offer you vast sums if you make payments up front
* Share scams (also known as boiler rooms) – a stranger rings you out of the blue and tries to offer you shares in a company you have never heard of
* Affinity fraud – investment scams that target members of a group, such as a community or a religious, ethnic, elderly or professional group
* Fund transfer schemes – money-laundering scams that tempt you to use your bank account by offering a commission. But you could wind up with a prison sentence too
* Online fraud (phishing) – fake bank websites that criminals use to try and get your personal details and money

Consumer Direct is a government-backed service offering free help and advice for consumers. It provides a range of information on detecting and avoiding scams and rip-offs.

The Office of Fair Trading has published information on ‘How to detect a scam’ and what to look out for.

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Public Warned Not to Fall For Email Money Scams

Inverness Crime Prevention Panel and Northern Constabulary are warning members of the public not to fall for email or telephone scams in which there are attempts to gain personal details.

There have been reports of people having received emails, purporting to be from banks, or people with acess to huge sums of money informing the recipient that they are either entitled to sums of money or can provide assistance in moving huge sums of money and to make contact giving their personal details.
 
These emails and similar telephone calls are scams and people should on no account respond to these unsolicited contacts.
 
They are designed in many cases for identity theft purposes. Inverness Crime Prevention Panel amazingly receive many such emails – the senders have no fear of reprisal and will mail thousands of recipients in the belief that anyone is likely to respond, particularly if they think they may benefit from easy money.
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Bank scam – Police issue cold caller warning to public

NORTHERN Constabulary is warning householders not to give out any details to cold callers claiming to be from their bank following further calls over the past few days.

Last month Northern Constabulary highlighted a number of cases in Inverness where residents had significant sums of money removed from their accounts as a result of the scam.

Police are again urging householders, particularly the elderly, not to give out any details to individuals claiming to be from their bank, especially details such as bank account numbers, passwords and other sensitive information.

Officers would also ask members of the public to exercise extreme caution in relation to any telephone calls they may receive in relation to their bank accounts.

A Police spokesman said:

“There have been further instances over the past few days where cold callers have been claiming to be from a bank and asking for account details.

“This is not normal banking practice and no details of accounts, passwords or P.I.N codes should be discussed on the telephone.

“We would like to thanks members of the public for calling Police within information to date and would encourage them to continue to do so if they are concerned about calls they have received.”

Police say that if people are in any doubt with regards to the authenticity of calls they should take the name and phone number of the caller and call the Police.

Officers are continuing to carry out investigations into the reported incidents to date and the warning to the public extends to all areas of the Force. The public across the Highlands and Islands are asked to remain vigilant.

If anyone feels they may have been a victim of such a fraud they should contact:
Police on 08456 033388 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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