Tenants are being targeted by so-called landlords who ask them to 'prove funds' with a money transfer receipt made to a friend.

National charity Citizens Advice says would-be tenants should be on their guard if they are asked to "prove funds" via money transfer prior to viewing the property.

Full Story >> The Guardian

Romantics should be on their guard against internet dating scams that can not only rip you off financially but also break your heart.

The latest scam alert from the Office of Fair Trading warns that the increased potential to meet people online is being used by criminals to con people out of their money.

Full Story >> The Guardian

Social-networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are being used by fraudsters to harvest users' personal financial details, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) warned this week. "The public should be aware of the predatory nature of fraudsters and be careful about revealing personal information on social-networking sites, as this has become a primary method of harvesting information and targeting victims," they said.

Full Story >> The Independant

THE region had some of the country’s highest incidents of major fraud last year.

A report by KPMG highlights the growing problem of financial fraud across the UK and concludes it was one of the most significant crimes of the past decade.

Full Story >> The Northern Echo

The National Fraud Authority (NFA) has calculated the figure for the first time and said it equated to £621 per adult in the UK.

Full Story >> BBC News

FocusClothing, a scam website claiming to sell expensive brands at low prices, has left thousands of unsuspecting customers out of pocket.

Thousands of consumers seem to have been collectively duped out of up to £1m by a website that promised designer clothing and footwear at hugely discounted prices.

Full Story >> The Guardian

Internet shoppers have been told to be on their guard as scam websites are dominating the sponsored search results for many branded goods on the internet search giant Google.

Fraudsters, mostly based in China, are duping Britons into buying fake items such as Ugg boots and Links of London jewellery that appear as Google-sponsored links. In many cases the goods never arrive and customers’ credit card details are put at risk.

Full Story >> Timesonline

The 1,219 websites purported to sell items ranging from Ugg boots and Tiffany & Co jewellery to GHD hair straighteners. Police said the fact the sites had ".co.uk" web addresses meant innocent British shoppers were duped into making what appeared to be bargain purchases, but they received either counterfeit products or nothing at all.

Full Story >> The Guardian

Thanks to the recession, thousands of scams, and attempted scams, are taking place every day. Last year, insurance frauds worth £730m were uncovered, according to figures from the Association of British Insurers (ABI), while an estimated £1.9 billion of dodgy claims slipped through the net. This year, the number is climbing higher still.

Full Story >> Timesonline

High street stores targeted as fraudsters become ever more sophisticated.

Online shoppers are at risk of losing money or becoming victims of fraud if they buy from scam or “copycat” websites this Christmas.

Experts are warning consumers to be on their guard after an increase in copycat websites of high street stores that look legitimate. There is also a proliferation of “bargain” websites selling counterfeit items or goods that fail to arrive. Many of these websites appear safe, with encrypted web pages and logos of secure payment services such as PayPal.

Full Story >> Timesonline

Thinking nothing of it, he carried on with everyday life, not realising something more sinister was afoot - until a chance meeting with his postman.  John, 52, said: 'I was walking down the street and bumped into my postman, who asked what I was doing there.

'He told me he thought I had moved as all my post was being redirected to an address in North London. I was completely taken aback. I had no idea what was happening.'
Unfortunately for John, he was soon to find out he had become the latest victim of a multi-million-pound fraud that has hit thousands of people across the UK.

Full Story >> The Mail onLine

The amount lost to cheque fraud in the UK was £15.6m in the first half of this year – and £8.6m of that was chequebooks lost in the post.

We are bombarded with adverts for insurance to protect us against identity theft, reminded numerous times not to let credit cards out of our sight at restaurants and warned of the dangers of "phishing", where fraudsters steal our details online. But who thinks about falling victim to fraud by way of the humble cheque these days?

Full Story >> The Observer

Scam job websites may promise lots of work, but all they want is your money.  Tony Levene explains how his graduate son almost fell for one such scheme, and how to spot one yourself.

Full Story >> The Guardian

Credit reference agencies Experian, Equifax and Callcredit can find evidence of fraud that could mark your credit file.

Identity fraud costs the UK more than £1bn every year - and that takes no account of the distress suffered by customers who discover their personal information has been stolen and used by thieves. While, initially, much of the £1bn bill is met by credit card companies and banks, they inevitably pass on the cost to consumers through charges.

Full Story >> The Guardian

Observer investigation reveals how classified ads lure victims into a rent racket.

Online fraudsters are targeting British students and foreign holidaymakers by purporting to rent out property that does not exist. The scams work by offering to let property in prime areas at below market rents and asking for deposits, or in some cases full payment, upfront.

Full Story >> The Guardian

Smishing, vishing - we're bombarded by cons. Liz Phillips considers how best to fight back.

Have you had a text message, apparently from the taxman, telling you there is a rebate waiting for you and to contact them with your details?

Or maybe you've had a voicemail that claims to be from the fraud department of your bank or credit card company, saying there is suspicious activity on your account and to give them a ring.

If so, you are one of the thousands of people a week targeted by "smishing" and "vishing" - the latest variations on the phishing scam - where you receive emailed "bait" encouraging you to visit bogus websites and hand over personal and financial details.

Full Story >> The Guardian

With service stations accounting for 40 per cent of point-of-sale fraud, we explain how to guard against dishonest staff.

Consumers should be on their guard when paying for goods and services in petrol stations, hotels and restaurants, as fraud "inside jobs" are increasing in the recession.

From skimming devices on chip-and-PIN terminals to cameras filming people entering their PINs, there are many ways that corrupt staff can defraud customers paying for goods.

Full Story >>> Timesonline

To the thousands thronging the colourful shopping and theatre district of Covent Garden in central London, the two market researchers barely warranted a glance.
They stopped passers-by and asked if they were willing to fill in a questionnaire about their shopping habits in return for a £10 gift voucher. There were plenty of takers. After completing the questionnaire, they were asked to provide key personal details, including their name, address, including postcode, and date of birth. But the researchers were fake - sent out by Financial Mail to find out how easy it is to steal a person's identity and commit fraud in their name.

Full Story >>> Mail Online

An independant report from Special Report Publishing for The Daily Telegraph.

Click on link for full report >> Managing fraud in a downturn.

OFT, police and Trading Standards join forces with the car industry to beat 'vehicle matching' and other scams

You advertise your car for sale at, for example, £4,000. Someone calls out of the blue saying they have a "guaranteed buyer" for your car at £5,000: all you have to do is send £99 to the firm, which will then put you in contact with the purchaser. But there is no buyer and your cash disappears into a swindler's bank account.

Full Story >> The Guardian