Reports of frauds, deceptions and scams keep appearing, weekly even daily, on
major news channels and newspapers. Some of these frauds seem just too big and remote to be of immediate, direct relevance to our daily lives. But, we will eventually pay for the consequences and damages, in taxes, costs of goods and services, regulations, copy-cats etc.

I hope we can collect, in one thread, frauds and scams, reported or heard. We must become more aware and more educated to guard against frauds and scams
which impact upon the health, well being, and wealth of ourselves and our families.

Fairpak ...

Xmas terror for 300,000 UK families.
Could it be another case of game keeper turn poacher?
Perhaps the new ID card will help??

Above the law but below contempt.

Christmas is cancelled: 300,000 families may have lost savings in Farepak crash

"
Total losses 'probably double official estimates'
Firm kept no record of customer names

Customers of the collapsed Christmas savings company Farepak could have lost up to 120m, MPs claimed last night

..."

Britain branded 'card fraud capital'

"Tuesday November 21, 08:12 AM

Card fraud has affected more than seven million people in the UK, figures show.

Research from the European Security Transport Association (Esta) found that nearly 20 per cent of the adult population in Great Britain had been targeted as part of a credit or debit card scam.

It makes the UK the card fraud capital of Europe, with citizens almost twice at risk of becoming a victim compared to adults in seven other European countries polled as part of the survey.

Mike Bowen, spokesman for Esta, said: "It is incredible how many people across Britain have fallen victim to card fraudsters and unsurprising that so many victims favour a return to cash."

A separate study by the European Commission found that almost a third of card fraud victims are never reimbursed for their loss by their card provider, despite claims to the contrary by banks.

..."



WHY? Where are the leakages of confidential data ???

Recieved this today



Can you circulate this around especially as Christmas is fast approaching - it has been confirmed by Royal Mail. The Trading Standards Office are making people aware of the following scam:A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911 a premium rate number). DO NOT call this number, as this is a mail scam originating from Belize. If you call the number and you start to hear a recorded message you will already have been billed 15 for the phone call.
If you do receive a card with these details, then please contact Royal
Mail Fraud on 020 7239 6655 or ICSTIS (the premium rate service regulator)
at www.icstis.org.uk
W12 9NX

I had my credit card account raided through my paypal account at the earlier this month.

Fortuneately for me paypal, froze my account after the 4th identical transaction (each one for EUR106). I deleted the e-mail telling me my account had been compremised thinking it was a fake (like I delete the 10+ simular e-mails I get every day!), so it was not until I got my credit card statement I found out - This was last Friday. I reported it to the credit card (for once they allowed me to do it over the phone, and the card was "stopped". Told them not to issue a new one, as once this is sorted - the card will be cancelled - I need to reduce the number of C/C I have.

Reported it to paypal, and by Sunday they agreed to refund my account and refund my credit card. I am now going through the labourious process of reinstating my paypal account....... I think it will be a couple of weeks before it is reinstated....

See post 290 above Sputnik :-) It's of course a very old and out of date email still being spread by well-meaning people, although the principle is still valid.

" Total losses 'probably double official estimates'
Firm kept no record of customer names "

To me one of the most blatant cases of Fraud for a long time.

At times like this you regret the recent practice of allowing company directors to put their office, instead of home, address in filed accounts.

TP

new email scam arrived today

Thank you for your loan request, which we recieved yesterday, your refinance application has been accepted


Bad credit OK, We are ready to give you a $371,000 loan, after further review, our lenders have established the lowest monthly payments.


Approval process will take only 1 minute.


Please visit the confirmation link below and fill-out our short 30 second Secure Web-Form

www.dealstrusts.co

Little woman :-(

I do also wonder sometime whether I am deleting genuine secutiry warning emails ...

fulhamken,

funny how the word "trust" soon or later pops up in scams and frauds !
(i.e www.dealTRUSTs.co).

"You can trust me." - Robert Maxwell

TP, it is heartless, isn't it? Funny how the Labour government is so keen on scaring us with threats from without which imply the need to take lots of money away from us to fix the problem. But they are so deafening quiet on internal security threats in the forms of scams and frauds which are continuously taking wealth from us ... again.

The news to come of the 8bn+ city Xmas bonuses this year is not going to go down
too well with those 300,000 families ..

Where did they get your Papal password little woman, you didn't open a fake email from Paypal and enter your details, perhaps?

Don't know if it's genuine



Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2006 11:14 AM
Subject: Fw: Mobile phones



Message from:
Phil Corris, Police Constable/Crime Prevention Officer



If you receive a phone call on your mobile from any person, saying that, he or she is a company engineer, or telling you that they're checking your mobile line, and you have to press #90 or #09 or any other number. End this call immediately without pressing any numbers. There is a fraud company using a device that once you press #90 or #09 they can access your "SIM" card and make calls at your expense. Forward this message to as many
colleagues, relatives and friends as you can, to stop it.

Many thanks for your time regarding this matter, take care and regards.

Phil Corris

Police Constable/Crime Prevention Officer

Ext 496696 (Internal)

01524 596696 (External)

Email: Phil.Corris@lancashire.pnn.police.uk
mailto:Phil.Corris@lancashire.pnn.police.uk

This site identifies cold callers and scammers by their telephone number!


http://www.bermudaviper.co.uk/News/Cold_Calls/cold_calls.html

NAME: Cell Phone hoax
ALIAS: Cell Phone virus hoax, ACE, XALAN

This is a series of hoax messages warning about fictious mobile phone viruses. The viruses described in these messages do not exist and they have nothing to do with real mobile phone viruses such as Cabir or Commwarrior.

Examples of the messages:

All mobile users pay attention!!!!!!!!!

If you receive a phone call and your mobile phone displays (XALAN) on the screen don't answer the call, END THE CALL IMMEDIATELY, if you answer the call,your phone will be infected by a virus.
This virus WILL ERASE all IMEI and IMSI information from both your phone and your SIM card, which will make your phone unable to connect with the telephone network. You will have to buy a new phone.
This information has been confirmed by both Motorola and Nokia.
There are over 3 Million mobile phones being infected by this virus in all around the world now. You can also check this news in the CNN web site.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS PIECE OF INFORMATION TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS HAVING A MOBILE PHONE.

Another version:

ATTENTION!!!
NOW THERE IS A VIRUS ON MOBILE PHONE SYSTEM.

All mobile phone in DIGITAL system can be infected by this virus. If you receive a phone call and your phone display "UNAVAILABLE" on the screen (for most of digital mobile phones with a function to display in-coming call telephone number), DON'T ANSWER THE CALL. END THE CALL IMMEDIATELY!!! BECAUSE IF YOU ANSWER THE CALL, YOUR PHONE WILL BE INFECTED BY THIS VIRUS.

This virus will erase all IMIE and IMSI information from both your phone and your SIM card which will make your phone unable to connect with the telephone network. You will have to buy a new phone.

This information has been confirmed by both Motorola and Nokia.
For more information, please visit Motorola or Nokia web sites: http://www.mot.com or http://www.nokia.com.


There are over 3 million mobile phone being infected by this virus in USA now. You can also check this news in CNN web site:http://www.cnn.com.

Hope new virus won't attack our TV in future.

Yet another version:

Dear All,

If you receive a phone call on your mobile from any person, saying that, he or she is a company engineer, or telling that they're checking your mobile line, and you have to press # 90 or #09 or any other number. End this call immediately without
pressing any numbers. There is a fraud company using a device that once you press #90 or #09 they can access your "SIM" card and make calls at your expense.

All mobile users pay attention if you receive a phone call and your mobile phone displays (XALAN) on the screen don't answer the call, END THE CALL IMMEDIATELY, if you answer the call, your phone will be infected by a virus..

This virus will erase all IMEI and IMSI information from both your phone and your SIM card, which will make your phone unable to connect with the telephone network. You will have to buy a new phone.

This information has been confirmed by both Motorola and Nokia.

Another version of the hoax from February 2002

VERY IMPORTANT.....????
If you received a phone call and your mobile phone displays ACE-? on the screen(for most of digital mobile phones with a function to display in-coming call telephone number).
DON'T ANSWER THE CALL - END THE CALL IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU ANSWER THE CALL,YOUR PHONE WILL BE INFECTED BY THIS VIRUS.This virus will erase all IMIE and IMSI information from both your phone and your SIM card, which will make your phone unable to connect with the telephone network. You will have to buy a new phone.

This information has been confirmed by both Motorola and Nokia.
There are over 3 million mobile phones being infected by this virus in USA now.
You can also check this news in the CNN web site.
Please forward this piece of information to all your friends who have digital mobile phones.

Please ignore these warnings and don't pass it on.

Farepak boss takes luxury holiday

17 November 2006

"The boss of collapsed Christmas hamper firm Farepak, Sir Clive Thompson, has been holidaying in Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, with his wife Judith.

They flew to Argentina earlier this week on 8,000 first-class tickets for a two-week holiday."

...

"Sir Clive refused to answer any more questions as he entered the luxury Alvear Palace Hotel, where rooms, each with a personal butler, can cost 2,500 a night."

...

From http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/....

Sleazy Labour's 2m raid on council tax funds
By TIM SHIPMAN
Last updated at 10:38am on 24th November 2006

Police have launched a new investigation into Labour sleaze after a whistleblower revealed the party is creaming off at least 2m a year of taxpayers' money directly into party coffers.

Tony Blair has ordered thousands of his local councillors to hand over hundreds of pounds each from their publicly-funded allowances to Labour slush funds for electioneering and party propaganda.

More here...
Councillors' payments and how Labour is benefiting

The scam - also under investigation by sleaze watchdogs has been branded a "national disgrace", an "outrageous abuse of taxpayers' money" and an "affront to democracy".

News that their money is being used to line Labour's pockets will enrage council tax payers who have seen their bills soar as town halls have been starved of cash.

Council tax has more than doubled since Labour came to power. In Sunderland it rose last year by 4.9 per cent, double the rate of inflation.

Labour members quietly passed a resolution at their party conference in September calling on all councillors to hand over a percentage of their allowances direct from the council payroll to fill the financial black hole.

The party is saddled with debts totalling 22million as a result of the cash for peerages scandal, which has led to a drought in donations. The allowances, introduced by Labour in 1998, were originally intended to be used to help councillors carry out their duties for voters, rather than for party political purposes.

But those who refuse to pay the levy have now been threatened with disciplinary action by Labour whips.

The multi-million pound funding scandal came to light after the former leader of Sunderland council resigned from the party in disgust earlier this week after refusing to pay 215 - a three per cent levy on his 7,106 councillor's allowance - to Labour bosses in Sunderland.

Bryn Sidaway has now reported the matter to Northumbria police. He told the Daily Mail: 'It is a national disgrace. 'We are talking about millions of pounds a year going into the Labour Party war chest via the taxpayer - but without them even knowing. This is their money. They elect local councillors in the hope that it will improve their lives - not to fund Labour's bid to be re-elected.'

The scandal goes nationwide. Documents obtained by the Daily Mail show that, in October, Labour bosses sent a memo to every council group in England ordering them to "establish a levy on councillors for group funds, preferably collected through the council's payroll deduction scheme". All councillors were then ordered to sign an authorisation slip to deduct the money from their allowances at source.

Labour officials in Westminster are demanding that councillors hand over 10 per cent of their allowances and those in Gateshead are demanding six per cent.

If all of Labour's 6,176 councillors were to give up just five per cent of their allowances, Labour could rake in 2.1m this year - handing the party a war chest of more than 6m in time for the next election, due in 2009.

The sum is likely to be even larger because in addition to the basic allowance, councillors who hold cabinet offices or chair committees are paid tens of thousands of pounds extra. Labour has demanded a slice of those payments too.

The rule change making the levy compulsory was waved through in a public session at Labour conference on Monday 25 September, while attention was focussed on Cherie Blair's outburst condemning Gordon Brown as a liar.

The plans were sponsored by Labour's ruling National Executive Committee, on which Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Party chairman Hazel Blears and Labour Treasurer Jack Dromy all sit. They signed off the plans on 20 September. A Labour spokesman made clear the rule amendment was approved "by the whole NEC", including the Prime Minister.

The revelations are a grave new embarrassment for Labour which is reeling from police inquiry into the cash for peerages affair in which four party donors for a were offered a seat in the Lords after they secretly loaned the party millions.

Tony Blair, who once pledged Labour would be "purer than pure" is set to become the first sitting prime minister to face police interrogation as part of a criminal inquiry.

Mr Sidaway said: "It was brought in via the back door in the hope that it would go unnoticed and unchallenged. They have identified Labour councillors as cash cows to fund the black hole in the party's accounts created by the cash for honours scandal and the reduction in the contributions they received from the trade union movement.

"The money is taken directly from the council's payroll accounts - even before any of the tax is applied - and we, as councillors, are expected to sign up to it without question or hesitation.

"I feel ashamed. I have been a Labour Party supporter for 48 years - ever since I was 15-years-old. Corruption is rife. It is shambolic and disgusting. The public is being deceived and betrayed by a Government hell bent on staying in power. We are being run by a dictatorship. Democracy has simply been swept away."

He accused party chiefs of using "intimidation" and "bullying" to get others to fall into line.

"The sad fact is this: The Labour Party is desperate for money and will do just about anything to make sure it has enough money in the kitty to win the next election," he said. "The stench of desperation is horrible."

A CID detective took a statement from Mr Sidaway on Monday. Northumbria Police are investigating whether the plans breach the terms of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums 2000 Act, which calls for all donations over 1,000 to be reported to the Electoral Commission. He believes that local parties may be failing to declare donations to the Commission.

A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said: "I can confirm that we have taken a statement from Bryn Sidaway and are deciding whether this is a police matter." The intitial probe is expected to take one month.

Lee Martin, the Tory leader on Sunderland council has made a separate complaint to the Standards Board for England claiming that the plans breach the local government code of conduct, which states that councillors must ensure public cash is "not used for the activities of a registered political party".

They claim it is an abuse of council funds - and a breach of the code - to let council payroll staff devote their time to arranging direct debits from councillors into Labour accounts.

Tory MP Mike Penning said that if Labour councillors can afford to pay some of their allowances to their party, they should have the allowances cut.

He said: "If Labour councillors don't need this money to work on behalf of their communities, they should hand it back rather than hand it over to fill the black hole in their party finances. It should be returned to taxpayers."

In contrast with Labour, the Conservative Party Board has ruled that Tory councillors cannot be forced to pay any levy to the Party, apart from a fixed 25 a year to cover the cost of professional support from the Conservative Councillors' Association.

Shadow Local Government Minister, Eric Pickles, said: "It is scandalous that the Labour Party is systematically abusing councillor allowances and attempting to avoid bankruptcy by using council taxpayers' money to bail them out.

"At a time when council tax has gone through the roof, families and pensioners will be shocked to learn that their money is not being used on cleaning the streets or empty bins but to give cash payments to the Labour Party direct from the council payroll."

A Liberal Democrat spokesman confirmed that some LibDem councils, including Richmond in Surrey, run a voluntary programme in which their councillors hand over cash to fund party activities but he said: 'I'm not aware that any of them set up direct debits from the council payroll. It is a voluntary scheme.'

Angus MacNeil, the Scottish Nationalist MP whose complaint sparked the Scotland Yard cash for honours inquiry, has referred the Labour scam to Sir Alistair Graham, who chairs the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

He said: "This is a misuse of the council payroll to help the Labour Party. This is a bill that will be footed by the taxpayer. At a time when cabinet ministers are being questioned by police, Labour at the other end of the spectrum is behaving like a bunch of loan sharks demanding money with menaces."

Former independent MP and anti-sleaze campaigner Martin Bell, said: "This is outrageous. This manages to be an affront to democracy at both the local and national level."

James Frayne, campaign director of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "The crisis in party funding has clearly made Labour officials completely lose the plot. This is obviously morally wrong and is an outrageous abuse of taxpayers' money. The Labour leadership should put a stop to this immediately and pay back anything that's been sent to the Party."

A spokeswoman for the Standards Board of England said she could not comment on an ongoing investigation. Ged Fitzgerald, chief executive of Sunderland City Council, insisted that the council had been reinbursed by the Labour Party for funnelling the payments from the council payroll.

A Labour party spokesperson said: "Labour councillors agree to abide by Labour Party rules including the payment of a Group levy. This levy is from councillors personally and not the council.

"The rule changes adopted by the NEC and the Full open annual conference this September in Manchester established that all Labour Groups should, as many do already, levy all councillors to contribute to Group activities and administration."

" Sir Clive Thompson, has been holidaying in Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, with his wife Judith."

And two of the other directors live within a mile of where I live in SW6.

Anything legal that I can do to help bring them to justice?

TP

Radioactive poisoning seems quite fashionable.

And the term 'Legal' merely means, "a miniscule chance of being found out".

"Radioactive poisoning seems quite fashionable."

Local pharmacy say they've just sold the last batch.

Must be someone else with the same idea round here.

TP

Not exactly a fraud or scam but ..........Wonderful message from Ing Savings to me this morning. I can't believe their cheek!

"We're writing to advise you that this month the Bank of England raised the base rate from 4.75% to 5.0%.

At ING Direct we want to offer all our customers a consistently good rate. On this occasion this means we have made the decision to maintain our ING Direct Savings Account interest rate at 4.75% AER*.

While some people may be willing to follow headline-grabbing rates, we know from talking to our customers that the majority prefer their savings to be earning consistently and want to relax knowing they don't have to constantly check Best Buy tables. "

Absolutely right. I don't want any better rate thank you very much. I'd much prefer it to stay the same.

"ING Direct - we always remember it's your money we're saving."

Yes I got it too, totally superior isn't it Bolshi! Makes one feel like moving all the pennies out, quite apart from the interest rate!