Aberdeenshire Council Trading Standards Service has issued its latest update on scams taking place locally and further afield.

Doorstep Crime & Scams

▪ Doorstep callers offering to purchase scrap metal have been reported operating in the Insch area.

Historic reports suggest doorstep callers operated in the same area a few years ago collecting scrap metal but failing to return with payment. It is believed these are the same individuals.

Residents should be cautious if engaging with doorstep callers and report any concerns to Trading Standards or Police Scotland. When reporting doorstep crime or concerns about doorstep callers, try to remember key details about the trader such as business names, addresses, names, age, accents, descriptions, vehicle type, registrations and signage. Keep all original paperwork, leaflets and brochures.

▪ A resident has reported receiving a call from a claims company who repeatedly asked for bank details.

▪ Amazon Prime scams remain prevalent with one resident receiving several unsolicited calls a day attempting to obtain banking and personal information. If you or someone you know is bothered by unsolicited calls then a call blocking device or service may be beneficial.

There are various call blocking devices available on the market to purchase and some landline providers also offer their own service. Aberdeenshire Trading Standards have a number of call blocking devices that can be provided free of charge to residents who would benefit from their installation. Enquiries can be made to Trading Standards using the details below.

▪ Scammers purporting to be from utility providers continue to target residents. One resident was cold-called by an individual claiming to be from Scottish Power demanding payment for an overdue bill or the debt would be referred to a debt collection agency.

Emails have also been received claiming to be from British Gas and advising customers that they owe a small amount of money on their bill.

The email includes a link to access the customer’s account and if clicked on the recipient is redirected to a spoof webpage where log in and payment details are required. Once inputted these are harvested by the scammer and used to access the customer’s bank account. Always check your own records to establish whether a payment/ amount is overdue and if in doubt contact the utility provider using the contact details on a genuine bill or their website.

Some utility providers have a designated number or email address for reporting suspicious or scam calls/ emails and customers are encouraged to use these.

▪ There have been reports of consumers in England and Wales receiving emails purporting to be from HM Courts and Tribunals Service that request payment for alleged parking misdemeanours.

The emails do not provide a specific date, time or location of the offence and threaten greater penalties if not paid.

Residents should be aware that it is the Scottish Courts that operate in Scotland and not HM Courts and Tribunals Service and if you have not visited England or Wales then the correspondence should be treated with suspicion. A genuine pursual of payment by the courts will not be done via email, regardless of country.

There are several signs that can indicate a scam email – an unusual or foreign senders address, impersonal greeting, poor spelling and grammar, incorrect or limited contact information, poor quality branding, attempts to look ‘official’, fake links, demand for payment and asking for bank/personal details.

The emails are also designed to instill panic, prompting the recipient to take action or respond immediately before they have had time to think about it or contact their provider using genuine contact details. Suspicious or scam emails can be reported to report@phishing.gov.uk

▪ A scam involving the purchase of premium level tyres has been identified targeting businesses in Aberdeenshire. An order is placed by phone, often just before the weekend and paid for by credit card with an agreement in place for collection during the weekend.

The credit cards used for these transactions have been stolen and collection arrangements over the weekend are designed to hamper checks on their validity. If concerned about the legitimacy of an order checks can be made to ensure the payment has been processed prior to releasing the goods.

Contact

For urgent Trading Standards matters, contact Aberdeenshire Council’s Trading Standards at 01467 537222. For non-urgent enquiries, please contact Consumer Advice Scotland at https://www.consumeradvice.scot/ or on 0808 164 600.

Contact Police Scotland on 999 if you need urgent assistance or 101 for nonurgent matters.

For more information about scams please visit Friends Against Scams at https://www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk/