Information Network Bulletin
Edition 3- 2022/23
Welcome to the latest edition of the Information Network Bulletin brought to you by Croydon
Council’s Trading Standards team.
In addition to general news from the team, it includes details of some of the latest scams
and fraud alerts which we have become aware of in recent months.
We hope that you find it useful.
Be alert to fraudsters using PayPal copycat emails
PayPal is a useful way to send money securely, but service users need to be alert to scams using
spoofed emails pretending to be from them. Typical examples are:
1. Emails stating that your account is about to be suspended
· The email will direct you to a copycat page and ask you to enter your password, so that the
fraudsters can steal it and access your account
· PayPal advise that they will only ask you to enter your password on their login page
2. Emails stating that you have received a payment
· These are used to trick you into thinking you have received payment for an item/order and
sending the item to the fraudster when no money has actually been sent
· Always check your account activity, not using any links that may be in the email, to check
whether money has been received
3. Emails stating that you have been paid too much for an item
· Fraudsters send copycat emails claiming that you have been paid too much for an item eg
£350.00 for a phone you are selling for £250.00
· The sender asks you to send them the phone together with the £100.00 that they have overpaid
·I f you do, you will lose both your phone and the £100.00 that you send them
reported to Action Fraud using https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
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Reporting Scam calls & Texts via 7726
Criminals oen impersonate legimate organisaons in an aempt to dupe their vicms and leave them out
of pocket. So it’s important to be extra cauous if you receive a text message or a call from a number you
don’t know.
Scam calls oen involve criminals purporng to be from HMRC, your bank or from a legimate business such
as well-known energy providers or phone network providers offering beer deals or ‘upgrades’ to your ac-
count. Texts oen involve parcel delivery scams from various couriers or Royal Mail, or even scammers pre-
tending to be your friends and family!
How to report and where to report
Most major communicaon networks have signed up to the 7726 service, making it very easy to report scams
texts/whatsapps or calls to your mobile.
7726 is a number that most mobile customers using UK networks can text to report unwanted SMS messages
or phone calls on a mobile. The number ‘7726’ was chosen because it spells ‘SPAM’ on an alphanumeric
phone keypad!
The following Ofcom web page has some useful informaon on scam calls and messages:
hps://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/scams
The link below takes you to a ‘How to report’ page and takes you through a very quick guide on reporng
numbers to 7726 on iPhone or Android. The videos are very short and easy to understand.
hps://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/scams/7726-reporng-
scam-texts-and-calls
To report a scam text you copy the content of the
text and start a new message to 7726, paste in the
content and send the message. The service will then
reply to you asking for the number the message was
sent from. You copy and paste the number or
manually type it in and send it as a message.
To report a scam call number you just need to copy
the number, put it into a text wring ‘Call’ before you
put the number in and send it to 7726.
When you’ve done this, it alerts your mobile provider
to invesgate the number and potenally block it
from the network, if it’s found to be a nuisance.
Please also remember to block the number on your
handset.
An example of what it looks like on your phone
when you report these texts or calls.
CROYDON TRADING STANDARDS
Online Scams Awareness Session
Friends Against Scams is a Naonal Trading Standards Scams Team
iniave, which aims to protect and prevent people from becoming
vicms of scams by empowering people to take a stand against scams.
Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones from scams.
Complete the online Friends Against Scams awareness session and
help to raise awareness throughout your community from the comfort
of your home.
Please use the link below to access the online Scams Awareness session
and help Croydon Trading Standards raise awareness and protect
our residents:
www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk/elearning/Croydon
For further informaon on Friends against Scams and for advice please visit:
hps://www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk/
Please remember to report to Acon Fraud 0300 123 2040 if you have actually been the
vicm of a scam or call Cizens Advice Consumer Helpline 0808 223 1133
if you require advice on an issue you are having with a trader.
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Criminals are using QR codes to target vicms -
how to avoid 'most insidious' scam
QR code menus have grown increasingly popular
since the Covid pandemic, and cybercriminals have
caught onto it.
Scammers, have now been using QR codes to gain
access to people’s personal information, according to
MIAA, a division of the NHS. But the threat has only
increased since the rise in QR-coded menus since
health and safety measures ramped up during the
pandemic. However, to spot the signs and avoid a
scam, it’s key to know just how hackers use the
codes to target people.
According to research by anti-phishing platform TitanHQ, almost 84 percent of smartphone users have
scanned a QR code at least once, and over 34 percent scan a QR code once a week.
This popularity has led to an increase in “QR code phishing” and warnings are being increasingly
issued across the world to alert people of the risk.
What is a QR code and how exactly are scammers using them to trick people?
QR codes work by embedding instructions into a black and white dot-based image.
They work a little like the barcodes you see on food in a store. A smartphone camera, app, or QR code
scanning device scans the QR code. The scan then translates the data into human-readable
information.”
QR codes usually contain web links or links to media such as videos or links to download an app.
These links provide a cybercriminal with the opportunity to perform phishing.
With a QR code scam, the criminal replaces a legitimate QR code (restaurant menu) with a malicious
one and instead of taking the consumer to the legitimate website (the restaurant's), the fake QR code
will take them to a fake website mimicking the real account, prompting the person to divulge personal
data.
QR-phishing. ‘Quishing’ is a mashup of QR codes and email phishing, which takes shape when
fraudsters embed a malicious QR code into a legitimate-looking email.
These emails have been on the rise, with scammers impersonating a number of reputable
organisations, such as Microsoft Office and HMRC.
The spoof HMRC email asks the recipient to scan the code to pay overdue tax. The QR code takes the
taxpayer to a spoof site where their financial information is stolen.
Drive-by-QR code phishing
Drive-by-downloads of malware are one of the "most insidious forms" of malware infection. A person
must land on an infected site, and a flaw in any software they use can open the door to malware
infection.
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Criminals are using QR codes to target vicms - how to avoid 'most insidious' scam (cont….)
QR crypto scams
While QR codes are often used to make it easier for people to download a legitimate app, they can
also be used to encourage people to download malicious ones, such as crypto wallets. The QR crypto
-quishing scam involves capturing persistent consent (prior authorisation) to use the wallet; this allows
the fraudster to drain the wallets of cryptocurrency.
How to prevent being QR code scammed
To spot the signs of a fraudulent restaurant QR code: "Look for signs that the QR code has been tam-
pered with, replaced, or covered up with a phoney version" or the "QR code is located in an unusual
place."
Be especially vigilant about codes that can be easily moved such as on napkin holders or QR code
stickers found on the table" or if the "website you’re taken to shows signs of a phishing website like
missing the website’s branding, or requiring too much information to sign up for an account (address,
phone number, credit card details, etc.)."
People can also apply email filters to prevent phishing messages
Only scan a code if you are sure about it. Always look at the link on your phone before opening it in a
web browser.
If you believe you are the victim of fraud, report it to Action Fraud as soon as possible by call-
ing 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk
Oral Tobacco found being sold in Croydon
Oral tobacco is a tobacco product that is held in the mouth. It is a banned product and should not be
on sale anywhere in the UK. We have recently found the product in several shops in the Thornton
Heath area and investigations are underway to identify the supplier and address the issue with the
traders in question.
Oral tobacco causes extreme mouth cancers and we would urge people to report to us if they are
aware it is being sold in shops in Croydon. Please see the images below of the kinds we have found
on sale recently, Vimal Gutkha and Black Naswar:
There are also other brands that have been previously identified as being available in the Croydon
area such as RMD Gutkha, Khaini Khuber and Mirage Blue.
If you are aware of any of these products being offered for sale in Croydon please report it to us di-
5
Croydon Trading Standards Need
Test Purchasers
Trading Standards work with young people to monitor the
sales of age-restricted products across Croydon. Part of
this work involves a young person under strictly controlled
conditions trying to buy knives, alcohol, fireworks and
cigarettes & vapes from shops in the borough. We are
looking for volunteers, aged between 14-16 years and
18-24 years to help us carry out test purchasing activities.
To find out more and sign up as a test purchaser contact
Croydon Trading Standards by email at:
or call us on 020 8407 1311
Check Out Your Agents Before Property Hunting
For some years now it has been a legal requirement for estate agents, management agents and l
etting agents to belong to a redress scheme. There are two schemes, the Property Ombudsman
Service (TPO) and the Property Redress Scheme (PRS). The schemes exist to investigate
complaints against agents which have not been satisfactorily resolved by the agent’s complaints
procedure. The remit of the schemes is quite wide and as well as awarding financial compensation,
they can instruct agents to take actions in order to resolve matters that are reported to them.
In 2019 it became a requirement for letting and property management agents to belong to a client
money protection scheme, not to be confused with tenancy deposit schemes. The purpose of these
client money protection schemes is to re-imburse money lost if an agent goes bust or disappears
with rent money, etc. There are six client money protection schemes:
Before engaging with a property agent, it is wise to check that they belong to both a redress scheme
and a client money protection scheme. Thanks to the agent checker recently launched by National
Trading Standards, you can now do this in a few clicks. A link to the checker is given below:
https://www.nationaltradingstandards.uk/property-agent-register/
By inputting the agent’s name and postcode you can check what redress scheme and client money
protection scheme the belongs to, before you start parting with any money.
If you find that a Croydon agent does not belong the these schemes, you can report them to
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The Financial Ombudsman Service is a free and easy-to-use service that settles complaints be-
tween consumers and businesses that provide financial services. It can resolve disputes fairly and
impartially, and has the power to put things right.
Set up by law with statutory powers
Able to look at most financial matters
Independent and impartial
Decides cases based on what’s fair and reasonable
The Financial Ombudsman Service take into account the law, codes and good practice that applied
at the time of the event. They also follow the rules in the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) hand-
book.
A case handler will initially provide their assessment of the complaint based on the facts and evi-
dence available in each case. They will explain the reasons behind their conclusion which can be
accepted or challenged by either party.
If the consumer or the business does not accept the case handler's assessment, they can ask to be
referred to an ombudsman. The ombudsman will then look at all details of the complaint afresh, and
make a final, decision which becomes legally binding if accepted by the consumer.
It can provide these remedies:
· Compensation for financial loss
· Compensation for distress or inconvenience
· Interest
· Putting things right without paying money
· Tax
· Compensation
Find out more at:
https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/
https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/how-to-complain
Information for Leaseholders
Are you a leaseholder who since June of last year have entered into a lease of more than 21
years on your dwelling? Changes made under the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022
mean that for the majority of such leases, you should not be charged any ground rent as part of
your lease. There are, however, some exemptions and leaseholders should seek legal advice on
how the Act may apply to their particular circumstances.
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Approved Trader Schemes
The Internet has become our ‘go to’ way for finding traders. However, not all traders that are found
online are genuine, and there are many platform sites or other trader schemes that unknowingly
host rogue traders either because they do not do any checks at all on the traders as they are simply
traders paying to advertise or because the checks carried out are not rigorous enough to prevent
rogue traders getting through their ‘vetting’ process.
Croydon Trading Standards have unfortunately been made aware of several instances recently
where unsuspecting consumers have engaged the services of traders paying to be members of
online platforms, only to be over charged for poor quality work, have more damage caused to their
property than originally existed and for the work to be unfinished.
Please see below the approved trader schemes we would recommend you use to find a trader.
ALWAYS get several quotes in writing before having any work done, ensure you have time to think
about the quote and ensure the companies or traders are legitimate by finding traders using Ap-
proved Trader Schemes such as:
Trust Mark - www.trustmark.org.uk/find-a-tradesman - 0333 555 1234
Buy With Confidence – www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk – 01392 383 430
Which? Trusted Traders - http://trustedtraders.which.co.uk/ - 0117 405 4689
If you are going on a recommendation from someone you know, make sure they have used the trad-
er themselves and you can see the work they have done. Many genuine traders are also happy to
show you examples of work they have completed. In addition, if you require a specific trade that re-
quires an expert, ensure that trader has the correct qualifications to carry out the work. Many rogue
traders take on work they are not qualified to do. Ask to see evidence of their qualifications.
If you are a resident who is struggling financially but need repair work done to your home you may
be able to get assistance from Croydon Councils Staying Put Team – their contact details are:
For more information please visit:
https://www.croydon.gov.uk/housing/home-owners-and-leaseholders/staying-
put-service
Are you considering having your teeth whitened by a dentist?
Recently there have been various horror stories in the press regarding consumers travelling abroad
to have dental work on their teeth. Tooth whitening is the practice of dentistry, which by law in this
country must only be carried out by dental professionals who are registered with the General Dental
Council. A dentist should always assess you before carrying out tooth whitening to confirm whether
treatment would be right for you, although registered dental hygienists, dental therapists and clinical
dental technicians may also carry out tooth whitening on the instructions of a dentist. Before you
consider this or any other cosmetic treatment, check the website at www.gdc-uk.org where you can
find further details as to who can and cannot carry out teeth whitening.
8
7
Beware online cash back and savings offers
Online surveys and cash back offers may be legal and compliant with the Adversing Standards Authority
but many consumers don’t read the small print and
inadvertently end up signing up to monthly ‘savings club’
subscripons they neither want or need.
Many high street retailers and large brands link up with
brands such as Complete Savings where at the end of a
purchase online you get a pop up offering cash back like
the one below:
This may seem like a good offer at the me but
consumers need to be careful when taking part in online
surveys and money back offers as some of these result in
subscripons. If you complete the survey or sign up to their ‘offers’ and you enter all your details it actually
signs you up to a subscripon even if the inial period may be free.
They request bank details to refund the ‘cash back’ offer but this is also how they retain your bank details
to take the subscripon and the informaon about the subscripon does appear on the page but it seems
many consumers do not see this part.
In order to get your ‘cash back’ you have to sign up. You need to consider if it is really worth it, if you are
happy this third party company will have your personal informaon and bank details and if in fact being a
member actually benefits you at all. Are going to use it to make the monthly subscripon worthwhile?
Which? Consumer magazine have warned consumers about costly ‘shopping club’ schemes – to read more
please read this arcle:
hps://www.which.co.uk/news/arcle/beware-costly-online-cashback-schemes-aRVQl7Z8LH6u
Was this bulletin helpful?
Contact Trading Standards to request a free door sticker advising cold callers that they
are not welcome. If you are a victim of scam mail, contact us to receive a free copy of our
toolkit on how to avoid falling victim and how to stop the letters.
Additionally, please let us know what you think of this bulletin and what Trading
Standards topics you would like to see covered in future editions.
Contact Trading Standards: Tel: 020 8407 1311
Email: trading.standa[email protected].uk
Citizens Advice Consumer Service: Tel: 03454 04 05 06
Web: www.citizensadvice.org.uk
