Census 2021 ‘Be Scam Aware‘

Census Day is Sunday 21 March 2021. After Census Day, at the end of March and into April, census field officers will be visiting households from which they have not received a completed census form. They will encourage people to complete the census and help residents to access further help if they need it.

Scammers may seek to use the Census as an opportunity to perpetrate doorstep, telephone, and online scams, so it is important to remember the following:

• At no point will you be asked for your national insurance number, passwords, bank account details, or your credit or debit card numbers, nor any payment
• You will not receive any payment for completing the census, so any offers of money in exchange for your account details will be fraudulent
• You will not be called for information about the census unless you’ve made an appointment with the Census Contact Centre or made a query or complaint
• No-one will enter your home in relation to the census
• Help to fill out your form is free (for more information visit: https://census.gov.uk/ or phone 0800 141 2021)
• You can report a fraud direct to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or visit: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/

Damp Proof Scam Warning

Warwickshire homeowners have reported receiving nuisance phone calls from people informing them that someone will visit their property to check for damp. The callers were also asking about the resident’s financial situation. Offering free surveys is sometimes a way for unscrupulous businesses to access people’s properties so they can apply the ‘hard sell’ and carry out often very expensive and unnecessary insulation work. Put the phone down immediately on cold callers and never buy goods or services from unexpected callers, either on the doorstep or over the phone. For more information visit: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/consumeradvice

Bogus Royal Mail Parcel Delivery

More residents are reporting receiving bogus emails stating that Royal Mail has attempted to deliver a parcel to them without success and now requires ‘additional details’ in order to attempt to re-deliver the parcel, as the ‘address appears to be incomplete’. The emails contain a  ‘book your delivery’ link that directs you to a bogus website. Never click on a link in a suspicious email. For more information on scam emails visit: https://www.getsafeonline.org/protecting-yourself/spam-and-scam-email/

Beware Puppy Scams

Trading Standards Animal Health Officers have received reports of criminal gangs illegally smuggling puppies into the UK to sell, puppies being stolen and sold on and consumers paying huge deposits to online sellers for puppies that don’t exist. Illegally imported puppies may carry diseases that are a threat to human health such as rabies. Criminal gangs have also been involved in puppy farming, where dogs are often bred in appalling conditions, increasing the risk of disease and ill health. To help avoid puppy scams, follow our top tips: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/news/article/1795/don-t-pay-criminals-for-stolen-puppies-sick-puppies-and-puppies-that-don-t-even-exist-

For more information see: https://safeinwarwickshire.com/2021/03/09/census-2021-be-scam-aware-and-other-warnings/

To make a consumer complaint or for consumer help and advice, please contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.

For consumer or business help and advice, including details of our approved trader scheme, please visit our website: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/tradingstandards

Sign up for regular scam alerts to your email inbox: https://mailchi.mp/warwickshire/scamawareness