Checkaco Consumer News: romance fraud is fleecing victims of thousands of pounds every week – don’t be conned this Valentine’s
JAN 27, 2023
Posted on by Harry Mottram
By Harry Mottram: years ago romance bloomed in discos, the pub or even the bus stop – but today couples get hitched online. And that can spell danger as fraudsters can pose on sites like Tinder as someone they are not by using other people’s photos and information. Once they have hooked someone as a potential partner the sob stories begin in which a familiar story of being temporarily short of cash.
Crimestoppers say: “Many fraudsters claim to be overseas because they work in the military or medical profession. They make up excuses as to why they can’t video chat or meet in person, and will try to move your conversations off the platform you met on. When they ask for financial help, it’ll be for a time-critical emergency, and the reason will be something that pulls at the heartstrings.”
Another form of romance fraud is where the fraudster has a company that needs cash for a humanitarian or charity enterprise – but has a temporary issue with a bank account that can’t release any money. Using Checkaco you can check out how if the company is genuine and if it has a long history of financial problems such as County Court Judgements (CCJc) or winding up orders.
Remember with St Valentine’s day approaching dating websites may have attractive looking men and women posing as potential lovers. Stop, think and protect by never sending cash.
Checkaco was created for consumers so that they can quickly access very detailed information about a company. Using our secure search, you can view any company anonymously in seconds
Full peace of mind for £6.50 per company checked when you buy three reports for £19.50.
Quickly view a company’s CCJ’s, legal ownership, credit history, credit score and more.
Or buy in bulk: 10 reports for £37.50 (£3.75 each); 25 reports for £88.75 (£3.55 each); or 100 reports for £335 (£3.35 each)
Get the low down on any firm at https://checkaco.com/
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Checkaco Consumer News: concerns of Viagogo ‘marking up Peter Kay tickets 1,080%’ plus warnings over fake ticket sites scamming punters
Posted on by Harry Mottram Edit”Checkaco Consumer News: concerns of Viagogo ‘marking up Peter Kay tickets 1,080%’ plus warnings over fake ticket sites scamming punters”
The Bolton-based stand-up comedian Peter Kay has unwittingly sparked a deluge of problems for his fans after announcing a number of live gigs later this year and in 2023. Nothing unusual about that except in this digital age scammers and rip-off merchants are two a penny as they fleece punters of their hard-earned cash.
Ten years ago, when Peter Kay last toured the issue of tickets was more to do with demand from the venue – but now criminals have set up lookalike websites and posing as the legitimate seller. And some unscrupulous sellers as highlighted by Elizabeth Haigh of the Daily Mail have hiked prices for Kay’s shows by 1,080%. She reported: “Tickets at a face value price of £150 each in Leeds in September are now on sale at Viagogo for £1,770 – a 1,080 percent mark-up.”
Clearly people are upset by the huge mark-ups but even worse are fake websites that copy legitimate ones down to last piece of graphic in order to take cash for tickets which don’t exist. The BBC’s Simon Read reported in the summer on scammers selling fake Premier League tickets. He wrote: “Fraudsters are using social media to offer fake tickets and trick unsuspecting victims out of their cash – the average loss is £410, according to Lloyds Bank. The fans pay by bank transfer, which offers no protection to consumers. If you can’t pay by credit or debit card, ‘that’s a big red flag that you’re about to get scammed,’ the bank warned. Cases of the scams climbed by more than two-thirds between January and June, according to Lloyds Bank data. This surge was because fraudsters took advantage of people desperate to attend live events after Covid restrictions ended.”
Using sites on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok scammers list tickets they have – sometimes at low prices claiming to be a fan who cannot make a gig – sometimes at high prices for the most popular events. They will post images of tickets online, but these are usually fakes – and they always ask for payment by bank transfer and use high pressure tactics to clinch a sale suggesting there’s only seconds before the offer is withdrawn. And once the bank transfer has gone through the scammer disappears and you have lost your cash and have no ticket.
Checkaco was created for consumers so that they can quickly access very detailed information about a company. Using our secure search, you can view any company anonymously in seconds
Full peace of mind for £6.50 per company checked when you buy three reports for £19.50.
Quickly view a company’s CCJ’s, legal ownership, credit history, credit score and more.
Or buy in bulk: 10 reports for £37.50 (£3.75 each); 25 reports for £88.75 (£3.55 each); or 100 reports for £335 (£3.35 each)
Get the low down on any firm at https://checkaco.com/
For details about Checkaco email info@checkaco.com or visit the website https://checkaco.com/
Checkaco, The Exchange, Express Park, Bristol Road, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 4RR UK
CHECKACO NEWS: As crypto currencies crash fears are raised that some are in effect Ponzi Schemes as industry is defended on TV
Posted on by Harry Mottram Edit”CHECKACO NEWS: As crypto currencies crash fears are raised that some are in effect Ponzi Schemes as industry is defended on TV”
Last November the Bitcoin was on a high as the new crypto currencies appeared to enjoy financial stability suggesting they were a new way to get rich by investing in them.
Eight months later and Bitcoin has halved in value, Celsius Network has frozen withdrawals, TerraUSD is now valueless, while Ethereum one of the big currencies in the field has plunged in value.
Investors in some currencies have potentially lost their entire investment while others have seen what they put in devalue to almost worthless amounts.
The advice from Checkaco has and always will be don’t invest in any scheme unless you can afford to lose everything. Many commentators have likened cryptocurrencies to Ponzi Schemes in that they suck in huge amounts of money only for the bubble to burst. They criticise the advocates of the currencies as the sector is unregulated and is not based on anything tangible like property, oil, gold etc.
Bitcoin is still the largest of the crypto currencies with a crowded market of similar types, number around 19,000 with some worthless and others claiming to be increasing in value. The cause of the collapse in value of many of these currencies has been the bear market in the traditional stock markets triggered in part by the Ukraine war. Those declines though are tiny compared to wild volatility of the virtual ones so the message is if you want stability stick with the tried and tested and indeed regulated.
Michael Saylor, the CEO of MicroStrategy didn’t help matters when challenged this week on CNN by Julia Chatterley by attempting to liken the creation of cryptocurrencies to the invention of the motor car and admitted ‘average investors’ had been taken advantage of. Writing for the Guardian Professor Robert Reich likened the currencies to Ponzi Schemes where the people who start them become rich while the newest investors at the bottom are most likely to lose out.
He said: “Before the crypto crash, the value of cryptocurrencies had kept rising by attracting an ever-growing number of investors and some big Wall Street money, along with celebrity endorsements. But, again, all Ponzi schemes topple eventually. And it looks like crypto is now toppling.”
Checkaco was created for consumers so that they can quickly access very detailed information about a company. Using our secure search, you can view any company anonymously in seconds
Full peace of mind for £6.50 per company checked when you buy three reports for £19.50.
Quickly view a company’s CCJ’s, legal ownership, credit history, credit score and more.
Or buy in bulk: 10 reports for £37.50 (£3.75 each); 25 reports for £88.75 (£3.55 each); or 100 reports for £335 (£3.35 each)
Get the low down on any firm at https://checkaco.com/
For details about Checkaco email info@checkaco.com or visit the website https://checkaco.com/
Checkaco, The Exchange, Express Park, Bristol Road, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 4RR UK
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CHECKACO NEWS: car insurance scam targeting young drivers with fake insurance
Posted on by Harry Mottram Edit”CHECKACO NEWS: car insurance scam targeting young drivers with fake insurance”
Young and vulnerable motorists are being sold cheap fake car insurance by fraudsters on an industrial scale through social media.
Victims typically see an advert for car insurance considerably lower than £2,000 for a typical Ford Fiesta from a reputable insurance company and ask for a quote from a fraudster posing as a broker.
The broker uses forged paperwork from a well-known company and gives the victim a huge discount which they sign up to and pay their premium in one payment.
It is only when the new driver is stopped by the police or are involved in an accident that they realise they don’t have any insurance.
Action Fraud said that thousands of people fall for the scam each year losing all of their cash as it is often weeks or months before they realise, they’ve been had. IFB Insurers believe 21,000 such policies have been linked to the scam while there are almost many more people driving around today ignorant of the fact their so-called insurance are worthless.
How to avoid ghost brokers
If a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is.
Ghost brokers often advertise on student websites or money-saving
forums, university notice boards and marketplace websites such as Gumtree. They may also try to sell insurance policies to you through adverts in pubs, clubs or bars, newsagents and car repair shops.
Be wary of brokers using only mobile phone or email as a way of contact. Ghost brokers have even been
reported using messaging apps, including WhatsApp, Snapchat and Facebook. Fraudsters don’t want to be
traced after they’ve taken money from their victims.
If you are not sure about the broker, check on the Financial Conduct Authority or the British Insurance Brokers’ Association website for a list of all authorised insurance brokers: register.fca.org.uk and biba.org.uk
You can also contact the insurance company directly to verify the broker’s details.
You can check to see if your car is legitimately insured on the Motor Insurance Database website: ownvehicle.askmid.com
If you think that you’ve been a victim of a ghost broker, you can report your concerns to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040.
You can also contact the Insurance Fraud Bureau via its confidential Cheatline on 0800 422 0421 or at insurancefraudbureau.org
Checkaco was created for consumers so that they can quickly access very detailed information about a company. Using our secure search, you can view any company anonymously in seconds
Full peace of mind for £6.50 per company checked when you buy three reports for £19.50.
Quickly view a company’s CCJ’s, legal ownership, credit history, credit score and more.
Or buy in bulk: 10 reports for £37.50 (£3.75 each); 25 reports for £88.75 (£3.55 each); or 100 reports for £335 (£3.35 each)
Get the low down on any firm at https://checkaco.com/
For details about Checkaco email info@checkaco.com or visit the website https://checkaco.com/
Checkaco, The Exchange, Express Park, Bristol Road, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 4RR UK
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CHECKACO NEWS: New Amazon delivery scam highlighted by TV’s Martin Lewis
Posted on by Harry MottramEdit”CHECKACO NEWS: New Amazon delivery scam highlighted by TV’s Martin Lewis”
Scam alert
The Money Saving expert Martin Lewis has issued a warning over a ‘clever’ scam pretending to be from the Post Office about an Amazon delivery.
He said: “Beware. Just had a clever version of the ‘pay £1.99 for Post Office Parcel delivery’ scam text, aiming to steal bank info. The ‘fee’ isn’t mentioned in the text, it talks about “delays in transit” and offers “a date to reschedule”. It’s only when you click thru it mentions a fee.”
Checkaco have said that anyone receiving the message should forward it to 7726 for it to be investigated by Ofcom as the main aim is to drain the victim’s bank account. There is no delivery simply a criminal attempt to steal cash.
Checkaco have urged the Government to invest in catching the criminals behind this and other scams by increasing Action Fraud’s resources.
Checkaco was created for consumers so that they can quickly access very detailed information about a company. Using our secure search, you can view any company anonymously in seconds
Full peace of mind for £6.50 per company checked when you buy three reports for £19.50.
Quickly view a company’s CCJ’s, legal ownership, credit history, credit score and more.
Or buy in bulk: 10 reports for £37.50 (£3.75 each); 25 reports for £88.75 (£3.55 each); or 100 reports for £335 (£3.35 each)
Get the low down on any firm at https://checkaco.com/
For details about Checkaco email info@checkaco.com or visit the website https://checkaco.com/
Checkaco, The Exchange, Express Park, Bristol Road, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 4RR UK
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CHECKACO NEWS: Banks warn of scam loans as victims are asked for an upfront payment to access a cost of living pay out but get nothing
Posted on by Harry Mottram Edit”CHECKACO NEWS: Banks warn of scam loans as victims are asked for an upfront payment to access a cost of living pay out but get nothing”
The cost of living crisis is driving people into debt and the scammers are preying on the public’s desperate need for cash to pay energy and food bills.
Lloyds Bank are one of a number of banks who have issued warnings to customers after scammers have posted adverts online from fictitious companies offering cheap loans.
Victims complete online forms or respond to a phone number to the scammer who allows them to borrow huge amounts of cash with just a small upfront fee to secure the money. The scammers contact them to say a further fee is required as the loan is larger than normal at which point the victim either pays up or begins to have doubts. When no money is released into their bank account they realise they’ve been conned with the average victim paying up £231 for nothing.
Checkaco issue this advice: stop and think – is this a legitimate company with an address and a land line number. Challenge the suspected scammer – if they get unprofessional, they are fraudsters. Contact Action Fraud and report them at https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
Checkaco was created for consumers so that they can quickly access very detailed information about a company. Using our secure search, you can view any company anonymously in seconds
Full peace of mind for £6.50 per company checked when you buy three reports for £19.50.
Quickly view a company’s CCJ’s, legal ownership, credit history, credit score and more.
Or buy in bulk: 10 reports for £37.50 (£3.75 each); 25 reports for £88.75 (£3.55 each); or 100 reports for £335 (£3.35 each)
Get the low down on any firm at https://checkaco.com/
For details about Checkaco email info@checkaco.com or visit the website https://checkaco.com/
Checkaco, The Exchange, Express Park, Bristol Road, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 4RR UK
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CHECKACO NEWS: Young fundraisers could lose all their cash as sustainable development charity Raleigh International goes bust
Posted on by Harry Mottram
Young fundraisers could lose all their cash as sustainable development charity Raleigh International goes bust
A charity launched by Prince Charles in 1978 has gone bust leaving up to 50 staff out of work and hundreds of young people in the lurch with their hard earned cash from fun raising lost.
Raleigh International is a so-called sustainable development charity linked the Royal Family and is seen by critics as the charity for the well-heeled who want to do their bit for the poor around the world. Both Prince William and Kate Middleton have taken part in the scheme in previous years. Young people sign up and pledge to raised thousands of pounds to pay for their travel and accommodation in countries in Africa, Asia and South America where they will spend several weeks helping on projects to help struggling communities. Some 55,000 people have used the charity to help others around the globe with projects from building community buildings, digging wells and introducing innovative farming methods to remote villages.
Last week the charity suddenly announced they were ceased operations and entered Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation having appointed Carter Backer Winter as liquidators.
In a statement they said: “It is with enormous sadness that we report Raleigh International Trust will cease operating from Thursday 19 May 2022. Raleigh International Trust is inclusive of Raleigh Nepal and Raleigh Nicaragua. Raleigh Tanzania and Raleigh Costa Rica have independent status, and we are currently exploring the future viability of them operating without Raleigh International Trust.”
The charity blamed the effects of Covid cancelling a number of projects and trips and the reduction in overseas aid from Governments.
However, that is cold comfort for the hundreds of young people who have already raised tens of thousands of pounds ahead of their trips having sent their cash to the charity. All of that cash could now be lost.
The Times reported a typical case of a volunteer losing out. They quoted Rosie Giesler, 20, from Cambridge, who was due to fly to Costa Rica at the end of July for a ten-week sustainable development programme. She had raised £3,800 by the fundraising deadline on May 16, three days before the announcement. Another victim they reported on was Will Chubb who is only 17 and had raised £2,300 for the charity having also paid for vaccinations, flights and a visa for Nepal ahead of his now cancelled trip.
His mother was furious with the charity as they must have known things were about to collapse but still accepted cash from the volunteers. The Charity Commission said they were looking into the case and were in talks with the administrators.
Checkaco was created for consumers so that they can quickly access very detailed information about a company. Using our secure search, you can view any company anonymously in seconds
Full peace of mind for £6.50 per company checked when you buy three reports for £19.50.
Quickly view a company’s CCJ’s, legal ownership, credit history, credit score and more.
Or buy in bulk: 10 reports for £37.50 (£3.75 each); 25 reports for £88.75 (£3.55 each); or 100 reports for £335 (£3.35 each)
Get the low down on any firm at https://checkaco.com/
For details about Checkaco email info@checkaco.com or visit the website https://checkaco.com/
Checkaco, The Exchange, Express Park, Bristol Road, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 4RR UK
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