CURRENT SCAMS AND OTHER INFORMATION – SEPTEMBER 2025

Please find attached a press release about free electric blanket testing being undertaken by the Public Protection Partnership at the end of September.

Consumer scam alerts - Norfolk County Council   This website gives information on numerous scams that are currently circulating and on rogue traders.  

If there is no Neighbourhood Watch scheme currently in your road, please consider setting one up.   A scheme can be anything from 5 houses/apartments upwards or a whole road and the Coordinator will receive free signs, stickers, literature and details of discounts available to all members in the scheme.  Once a Coordinator is registered on the Police/Neighbourhood Watch database they will receive emails giving information on crimes, scams etc to pass on to their neighbours and with email or a WhatsApp group, it is so easy now to forward the Alerts.  If you would like more information, please email me on my Gmail address below.

Please note that I am no longer using my email address ajmy5m7@inbox.com and now only using my Gmail which is ajmy5m7@gmail.com. 

Attached is Stop Loan Sharks latest newsletter.     Their website is:   www.stoploansharks.co.uk 

Benefit Scam Alert

Please be aware of cold callers claiming to work with the DWP or other similar agencies. The DWP or any legitimate agency will never charge for benefit advice or request payment before helping with claims.

If you receive a suspicious call, independently contact the DWP or the relevant agency using an official telephone number – do not use numbers given to you by the cold caller. Wait at least 15 minutes before making the call as fraudsters may keep the line open and respond claiming to be the DWP or agency you are telephoning. 

NEVER disclose any personal or sensitive information over the telephone.

Common methods of communication include telephone calls, text messages of emails that mimic official DWP correspondence.

Often these communications will:

·  Inform you that payments are at risk unless you provide details such as bank details or national insurance number.

·  Offer to apply for benefits on your behalf for an upfront fee

·  Impersonate DWP staff to gain your trust and collect sensitive information.

Digital Pickpockets are Draining Seniors’ Bank Accounts without ever touching their pockets.   Here is what you need to know (one example below):

Margaret was standing in line at her local Supermarket when her phone buzzed with a text from her bank. Someone had just emptied her entire retirement account – while her wallet was still in her purse.

"I thought it was a mistake," the 72-year-old grandmother told us, her hands shaking as she showed us her now-empty bank account. "I hadn't lost my wallet. I hadn't given my information to anyone. How could this happen?"

The answer will shock millions of Britons.
 
According to the RCMP, a new type of theft is surging across the country, with seniors losing over £28 billion last year alone. These "digital pickpockets" can steal your credit card numbers, banking information, and even your identity – all without ever touching your wallet.

"This isn't like traditional theft," explains cybersecurity expert James Chen. "These criminals use hidden scanners that can read your cards right through your purse or wallet from up to 30 feet away. By the time you get the fraud alert, your accounts are already drained."

The Rise of Digital Theft

In 2024 alone:

- Over 1 million British people had their identities stolen

- Someone becomes a victim every 22 seconds

- Average losses per victim: £17,000

- Seniors are targeted 73% more often than other age groups

If you suspect you have made a payment in response to such a scam call, immediately contact your bank and dial 159; the operator will direct your call appropriately.

There's a cunning new online scam tapping into the fears of older people. It offers a quiz/test for cognitive decline and the dreaded Alzheimer’s with some quizzes, then asks for a small amount of money (£1) to see your results. Once you've paid you are stuck with a subscription which cannot be cancelled until at least the first monthly £29.99p of a Direct Debit has been taken from your bank account.

Scam email circulating purporting to be from Vehicle Agency Office

“Dear Registered Keeper,

Tax expired:  11 August 2025

Our automated systems have detected that your vehicle appears on public roads without valid taxation. Immediate action is required to avoid enforcement measures”

Please forward any scam emails to:

report@phishing.gov.uk

Angela Money BEM

Area Representative for West Berkshire Neighbourhood Watch (Voluntary role)