Community Intervention

We’ve put together a summary of 2 of the more popular scams we are coming across in Staffordshire.

1. ‘Hi Mum & Dad’ Scam

Scammers impersonating family members, particularly adult children, in order to ask for money. They tend to contact via WhatsApp or text beginning the message ‘Hi Mum’ and then typically starting by saying the sender has lost or damaged their phone so they can’t access it. They go on to explain they are using a friend’s phone, pointing out some imaginary financial difficulty before quickly asking for money. Should you be tempted to send money, the bank details the scammers gives you will probably not match where the scammer will tell you it is because they can’t access their bank account.

If you receive a message like this;

• Don’t be tempted to transfer money.
• If a family member or friend makes an unusual request by text or WhatsApp, call the person to confirm their identity & make further enquiries.
• Set up two-factor authentication is your WhatsApp account and never share you 6-digit pin code with others. To do this tap settings>account>two-step verification>enable.
• Report spam messages on WhatsApp by pressing and holding on the message bubble, select ‘report’ & then follow the instructions.

2. Debt Collection Agencies Threatening Legal Action

We’ve received complaints from members of the public who have received letters purporting to be from a debt collection agency. A number of these, (but not all), refer to parking notices and are threatening legal action unless immediate payment is made. The letters may appear non-genuine and details within the letter might be incorrect.

• If you don’t recognise the debt that the letter claims you owe, then make further enquiries to make sure the debt is one you owe.
• Don’t use any contact details provided within the letter and always check credentials of any company you are unsure of.
• If you are unsure, talk with someone you trust and report any scam letters to Action Fraud.

Hot weather affects us all, but older people and those living alone are more at risk. We urge everyone to look after themselves during the heatwave.

Who's most at risk?

A heatwave can affect anyone, but the most vulnerable people are:

• older people – especially those over 75 and female
• those who live on their own or in a care home
• people who have a serious or long-term illness including heart or lung conditions, diabetes, kidney disease, Parkinson's disease or some mental health conditions
• people who are on multiple medicines that may make them more likely to be badly affected by hot weather
• those who may find it hard to keep cool – babies and the very young, the bed bound, those with drug or alcohol addictions or with Alzheimer's disease
• people who spend a lot of time outside or in hot places – those who live in a top-floor flat, the homeless or those whose jobs are outside

Summer Top Tips

1: Drink water

Try to drink at least six to eight glasses (1.5 to 2 litres) of water a day.

2. Manage health conditions

Health conditions can get worse in the heat, and many medicines can be affected by hot weather. Keep medicines below 25 degrees Celsius or in the fridge (read the storage instructions on the packaging). Take extra care to stay cool and seek medical advice if you need it.

3. Look out for others

If you know someone who lives alone or is older, unwell, or needs extra help, check in on them. Make sure that they can keep themselves cool and seek medical help if needed.

4. Carers

If you are a carer, remember to look after yourself in the heat, as well as the person you are caring for.

5. Heat exhaustion

If you, or anyone you are caring for feels unwell, dizzy, irritable, faint, tired, very thirsty, or has painful muscle spasms when the weather is hot, this could be a sign of heat exhaustion. Cool down and drink plenty of water. If you can’t cool down in 30 minutes call NHS 111 or 999 in an emergency, because this can turn into heatstroke, which is serious.

6. Fire risks

Reduce the risk of fire. Safely put out cigarettes, never leave a BBQ unattended and don’t leave glass bottles lying around.

Hot weather and health: supporting vulnerable people

Criminals are targeting WhatsApp users by posing as a friend and asking for a security code. Action Fraud has had more than 60 reports relating to this scam.

The scam begins when a criminal gets access to another WhatsApp account, which has you listed as a contact.

The criminal, posing as your friend or someone that’s a member of a WhatsApp group you’re in, will then send you seemingly normal messages to try and start a conversation with you. However, around the same time you will get a text message from WhatsApp with a six-digit code. This is because the criminal has been trying to login to WhatsApp using your mobile number. The criminal will claim that they sent you their code by accident and ask you to help them by sending it to them. Once the criminal has this code, they can login to your WhatsApp account and lock you out.

The criminal will then use the same tactic with your WhatsApp contacts, in an effort to steal more accounts and use them to perpetrate fraud.

What you need to do

• Set up two-step verification to give an extra layer of protection to your account: Tap settings > account >two-step verification > enable.
• If a family member or friend makes an unusual request on WhatsApp, always call the person to confirm their identity.
• Never share your account’s activation code (that’s the six digit code you get via SMS).
• You can report spam messages or block a sender within WhatsApp. Press and hold on the message bubble, select ‘report’ and then follow the instructions.

Following on from a BBC You&Yours Investigation last year a spotlight was lit upon a relatively new scam that is making its way across the country.

Now an emerging threat in Staffordshire, we are seeing criminals fraudulently using genuine addresses and names of victims to incorporate companies and ultimately accrue debts.

It is believed that those that have been affected have been targeted by organised crime groups who have registered companies at addresses across the UK. The first homeowners are alerted to this scam is when post starts arriving from Companies House, HMRC, banks or demanding letters from creditors. Unfortunately, debts are quickly accrued in the company name and residents are then left with the practical burden of unravelling the situation.

If you find correspondence of this nature, it is imperative that you contact Companies House and HMRC at the earliest opportunity to take steps to remove your address. As with all scams, it is important to take steps to protect your identity as best you can and report such scams to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice 0808 2231133.

For more information go to: GOV.UK and Report a company using your personal details without your permission.

Staffordshire Trading Standards is committed towards protecting residents from becoming victims of scams, through empowering communities and by stamping out scams and fraud. As part of this service we are publishing a regular newsletter, hosting a number of public notices, warnings against current scams, but also offer relevant news, advice and opportunities for training and engagement.

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From time to time, we will cover scams which may effect Staffordshire directly, these will be singposted here.