32 minute read
Find out if your home is safe
STATION COMMANDER JAMES BALL
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Keep your home fire safe
RESIDENTS nationwide can now make sure they and their families are safe from fire hazards - thanks to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), Fire Kills and Safelincs
Anyone can now access home fire safety information, with a personalised action plan, online in their own time, because of a simple home safety check tool.
The NFCC and safelincs launched the new check tool and it is available via their website (see details at the end of the article).
It will enable people to carry out their own home fire risk assessment for free.
The online tool takes the answers given and creates an action plan that can be saved and printed, giving basic, simple tips to help keep their home fire safe.
The tool can be used on any internet-enabled device and has a userfriendly interface.
Those using the tool are prompted for information about each part of their property, with the answers then generating easy to follow advice that can be kept and referred to at any time.
The tool can be used by anyone across Britain to make sure they have the right fire safety protocols in place.
A spokesman for the NFCC and Safelincs said: “This new resource really is a game changer for us and for people across the United Kingdom.
“It will allow anyone to get free access to fire safety advice in their own time.
“They can also use the tool on behalf of a vulnerable member of their family or friend, particularly if they struggle with using technology.
“Families can also sit and do it together to help educate their younger family members. ”
The online home safety check tool does not replace the in-person visits the Fire Service carries out to vulnerable residents. “We currently prioritise visiting those most vulnerable people in the communities, for example those with mobility issues, disabilities and the elderly.
“Not only will this tool help the fire service give vital fire safety advice to those we can ’t visit, but the information provided will highlight any vulnerable people that we might have struggled to reach or not been aware of from our data.
“It will also give them the initial advice that will help until we can arrange a visit for them.
“The online home safety check is such an easy way for people anywhere to risk assess their homes at the touch of a button, which will help keep them and their families safe.
“I would really encourage people to log onto our website and give it a go. Hopefully everyone will find it straightforward and encourage their friends and family to use it too. ”
The online home safety check tool is available in the home safety section of the Safelincs website at https://www.safelincs.co.uk/hfsc/
Just click on StartYour Home Safety check and you are halfway to making sure you and your family are protected in the event of a fire.
The tool has been developed following a successful pilot study in collaboration with Fire Kills and Safelincs under the National Fire Chief Council’ s Prevention programme.
There are around 35,000 house fires and over 300 fire related deaths in Great Britain each year.
By following the tips and advice you can reduce the risk of a fire in your home.
CRIME AND COMMUNITY NEWS
Officers are rewarded for their hard work
PCs Fiona Rowe and Megan Boon
LAST month,officers from across the county attended the Police Headquarters at Hutton to deliver presentations showcasing their hard work and commitment to tackling crime and keeping our communities safe.
The Overall winners were PCs Fiona Rowe and Megan Boon who entered in the Police Now and Student Officers category.
After a series of four large scale thefts ofYork stone flags,which happened within four weeks of each other,two just four days apart,and the local social media outcry which followed,it was clear that the impact on the community was considerable.
Through a multi-layered partnership approach, including cross border working and targeting of offenders,location mapping,property marking, crime prevention measures,proactive patrols and a social and national media campaign along with establishing a Church watch scheme,PCs Rowe and Boon ’ s work has contributed to the significant reduction in reported thefts.
Congratulations go to all category winners.In the Neighbourhoods category,PCSOs Saira Rashid and Rachel Lonsdale from East Division won for their multi-agency approach to tackling anti-social behaviour,the Partners and Collaboration category was won by PS Guy Hamlett and PC Chris Banks fromWest Division for their work to clamp down on travelling criminals; DS Diane Higham,DC Jonathon PiearceSwift,PS John Gregory and PC Jessica Morris from South Division won the Investigations category for their work in keeping people safe during nights out through personal safety classes and awareness days.
Finally,in the Business Support andVolunteers category,the award was given to PSTom Sanderson for his work with Operation Nemo which is helping to keep children safe on our county ’ s beaches during peak seasons.
£38,000 stolen in Rolex watch scam
LANCASHIRE Police are appealing for information after a Blackburn pensioner was conned out of £38,000 in a courier fraud scam.
The victim, a man in his 70s from the Roe Lee area of the town, was contacted on June 28 by a man falsely claiming to be a police officer from London.
The fraudster told the victim that his bank card had been cloned and used in a fraud in London.
The victim was then asked to call 161 to verify that the fraudster was a police officer.A woman – also a fraudster –falsely confirmed that the man the victim had been speaking to was a police officer.
The victim was later contacted by somebody claiming to be working for a bank’ s fraud team on a covert police investigation with the fake police officer.
They convinced the victim to purchase a £38,000 Rolex from a jewellers in Blackburn.
The watch was later collected by an Asian male claiming to be a police officer in plainclothes. He is described as being in his 20s or 30s with black hair and was wearing a high vis vest, blue jeans and white trainers.
The fraudsters asked the victim to transfer £35,000 from his bank account but he refused.
DC Blair Patterson, of Blackburn CID, said: “This is an appalling crime committed against a very vulnerable victim.
“I would ask anybody who saw a man matching the above description in the Roe Lee area of Blackburn – or captured him on CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage –around 1.10pm onThursday (June 30) to get in contact with us as soon as possible.
“I would like to appeal for local jewellers or pawn shop owners to get in contact if you are offered the Rolex watch pictured for sale.
“I would also ask that you remain vigilant for any elderly or vulnerable people who come into your stores and ask to buy an expensive watch. Although they might be making a genuine purchase, they could also be the victims of this kind of fraud.
“These fraudsters have no morals and will use multiple tactics in a bid to con victims into handing over money, their bank details or in this case a valuable watch.
“Scammers target elderly and vulnerable people so please make your loved ones aware.
“It is important to stress that genuine police officers will never ask for your bank details, money or for you to help with investigations “If you get a phone call from someone saying they are from the police or the bank do not provide your account details or hand over any cash. If you are ever unsure about the identity of an officer, always call the police on 101. ”
Anyone with information is asked to email 2881@lancashire.police.uk or call 101, quoting 0692 of July 2, 2022.
For help and advice about how you can stay safe from scammers visit Action Fraud or call 0300 123 2040.
CRIME AND COMMUNITY NEWS Nurse ruined by evil scam duo
A MAN and woman who scammed 245 people out of £13.7m in pension savings have been jailed.
Alan Barratt, 62, and Susan Dalton, 66, tricked hundreds of people into transferring their pension savings into 10 schemes, which they controlled.
Victims of the scam have been left devastated after losing much of their life savings - and years on the money has still not been recovered.
The average loss was £55,000, but some lost much more.
Barratt was arrested in Spain and sent back to the UK in 2021 - the first time the Pensions Regulator had extradited a suspect.
Both Barratt and Dalton - from Essex and Lancashire - were charged with fraud for abusing their position as trustees of the schemes. Advertisement
Barratt had denied the charged, but in January changed his plea.
The pair - who were based in Spain lured people with the promise of unrealistic returns, bonuses and even John Lewis vouchers.
Mastermind" David Austin killed himself in 2019 after being invited for a police interview, Southwark Crown Court was told.
The trial heard that Dalton made around £126,000 from the scam, and Barratt around £343,000.
However, they are said to have passed most of the money to Austin, who used it to fund businesses, pay others involved in the con and enrich himself and his family.
A 2018 civil trial ordered the trio to repay millions, but the funds were largely transferred to offshore accounts and have not been recovered.
Barratt was sentenced to five years and seven months and Dalton to four years and eight months.
Judge Gregory Perrins said the pair had caused " such misery " with victims developing mental health problems and some even attempting suicide. "Each account that I have read is a story of a life ruined by your actions and you should both be ashamed, " he said.
One of the victims of the deception, which took place between 2012 and 2014, was critical care nurse Pauline Padden from Merseyside.The 58-yearold was looking after her terminally ill mother when she got a text offering her cash and a better deal on her pension in return for transferring her pot.
She hoped it would mean more security in her retirement. However, six months later, she was devastated to get a letter explaining she had been the victim of a scam and had lost £45,000.
The mother of three said she ' s been robbed of the prospect of ever retiring and may be forced to sell her home.
Pauline Padden - ruined by the evil scammer Susan Dalton
Sex offender had 2200 images of kids on his phone
A REGISTERED sex offender who was caught with more than 2,000 indecent images of children on a hidden mobile phone has been sent back to prison. David Martin Nappin, 38, was released on licence following a previous prison sentence on July 30, 2020.
As part of the previous sentence, Nappin was made the subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, limiting his contact with children and use of the internet. He was also made subject to a notification requirement meaning he had to make any device capable of accessing the internet to the police or a probation officer on request.
On November 10, 2020, officers from the East (MOSOVO) Management of Sexual and Violent Offender Team were contacted by the manager of the probation hostel in Blackburn where Nappin was living to say that an unregistered phone had been discovered in his room.
Nappin had also sent the hostel manager a message on his registered mobile phone which read: “you 'll find something, the stuff that got me in trouble last time. ” Officers from the MOSOVO unit attended Nappin’s place of work the same day arrested him and seized his registered and unregistered mobile phones.On the unregistered mobile phone, experts found 2209 illegal files. Of those 802 were Category A – the most serious examples of child sexual abuse - 491 were Category B and 898 were Category C. There were also eight prohibited images and to extreme pornographic images.
CRIME AND COMMUNITY NEWS
Serious assault ends in 5 years in prison
A MAN who carried out a serious assault inside a house in Blackburn has been jailed for five years.
Police were called toWhalley New Road just after 7am on October 7,last year,following reports of an assault.
Investigations revealed that defendant Paul Donlin (pictured above) had knocked on the door of the property and as soon as he was let inside,he made threats to his first male victim.
When the second male victim went to see what was going on,he was hit to the face by Donlin.A struggle then ensued, during which Donlin kicked the victim to the head at least two times.
The second victim - who suffered a 2cm cut to his forehead,cuts around his face,two chipped teeth,rib injuries and some hearing loss – manged to escape via the front door and was picked up by a passer-by.
Donlin then got into a waiting Mercedes car and while being driven around came across the first victim on nearby Cornelian Street.After being threatened with being stabbed by Donlin,the first victim was led back toWhalley New Road.
Donlin then told the first victim he had ten seconds to bring the other occupants of the house outside and began counting down from ten.
The first victim ran through the house, out of the back door and hid in a nearby garden until police arrived.
Donlin,40,ofTeaselWalk,Morecambe, was arrested and answered no comment to all questions put to him.
Donlin pleaded guilty to Section 20Assault, two affrays and making off without payment.He was sentenced to five years custody at Preston Crown Court.
Drugs gang is locked up for 32 years
SIX people have been jailed for a total of 32 years after a Lancashire Constabulary investigation into the supply of Class A drugs and criminal exploitation of children.
OperationThunder was an investigation into the supply of Cocaine, Heroin, and Cannabis in the Accrington area.
Patrick Gavin was at the head of this OCG, which controlled a series of “deal lines ” used to take orders from users.
Those orders were then dispatched by him through a group of street dealers and runners, many of whom were youths, who had been recruited, groomed, and indoctrinated by Gavin.
The street dealers and runners were so enamoured and proud of the criminal lifestyle they had been brought into that they dubbed themselves the “Conspiracy Squad” .
Three members of the group were jailed at Preston Crown Court last month.A number of others had previously been dealt with for their involvement. Sentences Patrick Gavin (head of the OCG), of Charter Street,Accrington, - 12 years and four months; Aqueeb Ali, of Rock Street, Haslingden, - eight years and one month; Kieron Ashby, of Wordsworth Road, Oswaldtwistle, two years suspended for 18 months; Cameron Newton, of FountainsWay, Oswaldtwistle, - two years suspended for 18 months; Ishan Nailen, ‘Iceman ’ of Park Road,Accrington, - two years; Brook Seery, of Haslingden Old Road,Accrington, 12-month conditional discharge; Thomas Brett, of Stevenson StreetWest,Accrington, - community order; Scott Melia, ofTanpits Road,Accrington, 12 month community order; LeroyWright, of ReethWay,Accrington, conspiracy to supply cannabis, - six months;Tyler Branch, of Lion Street,Accrington, concerned in the supply of cannabis - community order; John Lomax, ofVictoria Street,Accrington, conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine - five years and nine months; a 17-yearold from Accrington, conspiracy to supply heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis three year youth rehabilitation order and six month curfew; Philip Smalley, of Monarch Street, Oswaldtwistle, conspiracy to supply cannabis - community order; Joseph Oakes, of Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, conspiracy to supply cannabis - 13 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months; BrandonWilson, of Higher Antley Street,Accrington, conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine - two years suspended sentence; Callum Harris, of Hope Street, Great Harwood,conspiracy to supply cannabis, -12 months imprisonment suspended for one year; Shane Murray, of Parkinson Street, Haslingden, conspiracy to supply cannabis - 40 months imprisonment. Callum Dunne, of Stanhill Lane, Oswaldtwistle, and Dylan Ashby, ofWordsworth Road, Oswaldtwistle, were due to be sentenced on June 6.
The honours were made toTrading Standards, Border Force, and Police, who have provided an outstanding response to the growing global threat to business and consumers, from an escalating fake market,
PHIL LEWIS, director general ACG
Fighting the counterfeiters
THE fight against counterfeiters was the main subject at the annualAnti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG)Awards for Excellence in enforcement.
Hosted byACG director general Phil Lewis,he told the audience: “The honours were made toTrading Standards,Border Force,and Police,who have provided an outstanding response to the growing global threat to business and consumers, from an escalating fake market,which includes medicines,toys,electrical goods and foodstuffs,and is now worth $464 billion worldwide. ”
The event,sponsored byWRi,Snapdragon Monitoring Ltd andTreasury Wines,saw winners from Salford,Manchester;Tilbury.Essex;Milton Keynes;and London.
The Dave Hankinson MemorialAward for Individual Excellence inAnti-Counterfeiting Enforcement was awarded to Marsha Bell from SalfordTrading Standards, while theTrading Standards Department award was also awarded to SalfordTrading Standards.
The Special CommendationAward for Excellence inAnti-Counterfeiting Enforcement for individual achievement were presented toTony Cregan at the Police in Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) Northwest branch.The Special CommendationAward for departmental achievement went to Border Force International Trade ExaminationsTeam atTilbury,Essex.
FourACG SpecialAwards went to:Trading Standards Scotland with special mention to Belinda Norton for their work in Operation Haugh;Intellectual Property Office (IPO) Intelligence Hub;GovernmentAgency Intelligence Network (GAIN);and CENTSA Regional InvestigationsTeam with special mention to MohammedTariq.
The OECD has calculated that the UK market for fake goods is worth £16 billion and is roughly equivalent to the national drugs market,according to Dame Carol Black’ s independent review in 2020.
Moreover,the organised transnational gangs involved are draining the UK economy of essential revenue,which could be used for vital public services,but instead,it is falling into criminal hands and is driving insidious crimes including the trade of people,drugs and weapons.
TheAnnualACG awards recognise the response made by precious enforcement services,which are combating the growing threats from counterfeiting on a day-today basis,despite competing priorities and constrained resources. ”
Highly Commended awards were given
Greater Manchester Centre of Excellence winner Winner of the Bucks and Surrey Trading Standards award
to MohammedTariq of EalingTrading Standards in London and for the enforcement team at EalingTrading Standards.
Additionally,Special Highly Commended awards were announced for Geoffrey Oulton at GatwickAirport Border Force and the team at Milton Keynes Border Force.
Natalie Ryan,ACG Events Manager said: “it was important for theACG to organise a ceremony and drinks reception for the winners after all their hard work over the past year.
“Their dedication to protecting IP rights does not go unnoticed and this is a way for theACG on behalf of their members and enforcement colleagues to say thank you. ”
Businessman tells how he fell for the classic cryptocurrency scam
A RETIRED businessman who lost thousands after being approached on LinkedIn by a glamorous fraudster wants to warn others about the dangers of crypto currency scams.
Stephen* (not his real name), 68, is married. Until he retired, he ran his own successful building company. Financially, he said: “I’ m not desperate for money, let’ s put it that way. ”
But earlier this year, Stephen was sent a message on LinkedIn by a woman called Alice who claimed to be a finance director inWashington DC. In reality, she was a fraudster who used her good looks and apparent business acumen to lure in victims.
As a long-time LinkedIn user, Stephen was used to being approached on the platform, usually by people making sales pitches.After some polite chat, Stephen said Alice asked him to move onto WhatsApp. On there, the conversation turned to crypto currencies.
Stephen said: “I had an interest Bitcoin, but I didn ’t understand how the system works.We started chatting along those lines and I went along with it. I thought I might learn something. ”
Alice said that her uncle worked in banking in Hong Kong and that she ’d successfully made money with his help. She encouraged Stephen to get involved.
Stephen downloaded trading apps and a virtual wallet to keep his crypto cash in. He set himself a limit of how much he was willing to lose.
After some early successes,Alice told Stephen to log into another trading app and talked him through a series of trades her uncle had apparently recommended.
“All of sudden there were three transactions on the screen, ” Stephen said.
“She was telling me, ‘Quick, buy long. Buy short!’ And by the end of it I’d made $600. I went along with it on several occasions. I was saying to myself this is too good to be true – and it was. ”
Stephen transferred another £2,300 into the trading account. By then Alice was sending Stephen photos of her “looking glamorous ” behind the wheel of expensive cars and telling him that he ' s wonderful and she ’d never felt like anyone like him in her life.
Stephen said: “She was also telling me she can help me make lots of money. She asked me to buy $50,000 (for the trading account), then this went down to $20,000.Then she offered to loan me $12,000. I told her that I didn ’t need the money and thought, why is she doing this?”
With Stephen ’ s attitude hardening, Alice bizarrely started asking him why he didn ’t love her anymore and then asked him for $5,000 for a first-class ticket to come a visit him - the classic tactics of a romance fraudster.
When Stephen point-blank refused her demands,Alice ’ s tone changed. He told her he was in hospital to see what her reaction would be. She told him, “Do you think I care if you ’ re ill or dying?”
Using an IT expert friend, Stephen tried the recover the $11,000 he thought he had sitting in his trading account.The account was inaccessible. It was a fake trading site.
“I realised I’d been had, good and proper, ” Stephen said.
Incredibly, he then found a story on theWashington Post about a retired police detective and how he ’d been one victim of a $66m crypto currency scam fronted by Alice. He recognised the tactics the detective described.
As well as the dangers associated with swimming at unsupervised and often remote places, jumping from the rocks also puts people in danger. Swimming at disused quarries is also very dangerous
Hot weather alert for kids
DISUSED quarries and lakes across the country are a big atttraction of kids especially in the hot weather – but as we go into the school summer holidays there is a price to pay.
Since the beginning of July, 12 people have died in heat related incidents and it has prompted police and the RNLI charity to issue a warning about the dangers lurking in the water.
And if you are a parent make sure you educate your children before it’ s too late and they take the plunge.
The warning comes as schools close for the summer and concerns surrounding children and young people trespassing and jumping off cliffs into the water as the warm weather continues.
A police spokesman told Community Watch magazine: “Unfortunately tragic events over the last month in areas of the UK have highlighted the dangers and our thoughts are very much with the families and friends of all those involved.
“Sadly, over the years, tragedies where people have got into difficulty after entering quarry pools, rivers and lakes have become too familiar.
“We are once again highlighting that although it can be very tempting to jump into the nearest pool or lake to cool down on a hot day, or to swim in the water at disused quarries, the water depths are huge – up to 60 metres – and it can be very difficult to get out due to the steep sides.
“The water is extremely cold and the shock can cause sudden cramp and can affect your breathing, causing people to panic.This can impair even strong, fit swimmers.
“As well as the dangers associated with swimming at unsupervised and often remote places, jumping from the rocks also puts people in danger.
“Swimming at disused quarries is a very dangerous practice and we would appeal to all youngsters and anyone else to please stay away.
“We urge you to look out for your friends, avoid swimming or jumping into quarries, rivers and lakes. Plan how else you can cool off safely. ”
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is urging the public to stay safe at the coast as people flock to the beach.
The RNLI, with the support of HM Coastguard, is urging everyone to remember to Float to Live if they get into trouble in the water.As well as taking other precautionary steps Before you go Going for a swim in cold, open water can be exhilarating, but it’ s not without risk.When at the coast, it’ s best to choose a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags. If there is no lifeguard cover, make sure you know: where to enter and exit the water your location – are there any hazards you need to be aware of? what the tide and currents are doing - check the tide times before entering the water How to spot rip currents what to do if you get caught in a rip current. Don ’t try to swim against it. If you can stand, try to wade rather than swim. Next, swim parallel to the shore until free of the rip and then head for shore. Raise your hand and shout for help. Have the right equipment Wear a wetsuit. It’ll help you stay warm and can increase your buoyancy, so you can stay in the water for longer.
Wear a brightly coloured swimming hat and take a tow float with you when swimming or dipping.These will help you to be seen in the water and a tow float can act as extra buoyancy if you need it.
Always take a means of calling for help with you, such as a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch and a whistle to attract attention.
Make sure you have plenty of warm clothes and a warm drink for after your swim. It is important to warm yourself up carefully. Float to live Entering water under 15°C can seriously impact your ability to breathe and move. If you get into the water too quickly or fall in unexpectedly, you may experience cold water shock.
If this happens, fight your instinct to swim. Relax and float on your back until you can control your breathing and the shock passes.Then you can call for help.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Tim declares war...
WHENTerry Dainty won her county court judgement against the rogue trader who ruined her garden,she was delighted and thought she would get back all of the £9,215 she had paid him in good faith.
Unfortunately she was wrong.The landscaper from Preston did such a bad job that her children have not been able to play in the 'dangerous and unusable ' rear garden since before the first lockdown.On top of that the rogue has disappeared with the Chorley.housewife ' s savings.continued on page 15
Kiistone is the online app that safeguards your money meaning it can 't be moved without your consent. Your tradesperson has to mutually agree all tasks for each project stage with you. Only when you agree that these tasks have been successfully completed can a payment be released. All extras, changes and messages are recorded for future reference to avoid misunderstandings later. All tradespeople will be vetted through financial checks to confirm they are a legitimate business. We only charge 1% on the monies that we protect. Our project management software is FREE, to reflect our commitment to rebuilding the trust between customers and honest BritishTradespeople.
COMMUNITY NEWS ...on the cowboy traders
from page 14 It' s a familiar story and one that has forced former housing developerTim Mullock to launch a new online app - Kiistone, which aims to protect consumers from rogue traders,provide peace of mind to honest tradespeople and restore faith and improve the image of the building industry.
Cameron Crook,the tradesman who helpedTerri through the court process,introduced her to his former colleague, Tim,knowing that he was on a mission to highlight the increasing problem of rogue trader activity.
A recent survey published in the Daily Express stated that a third (37%) of all households having home improvement work done had been affected by rogue traders leading to at least £1000 in remedial costs.
Tim explained: “Cameron helpedTerri push the legal proceedings through,however,due to their lack of success in recouping her lost savings,he was disgusted at the time it took (nearly 12 months) and the ineffectiveness of the judgement to hold the perpetrator accountable.
WithTerri’ s blessing and Cameron ’ s help we are now trying to use her experience to illustrate how Kiistone works to stop it happening to other people.
All too often we are hearing these stories after the heartache - when people are left saying we wished we ’d known we could protect our money in a system like Kiistone. "
Built to reflectTim ' s 23 years experience as a tradesperson, Kiistone safeguards all parties interests in a project by holding monies safely in escrow (a neutral bank account).
It offsets project stages (that include tasks mutually agreed by the customer and tradesperson) against money milestones - where funds can only be drawn down after a stage has been completed to the customers satisfaction.
The tradesperson also benefits because they know the money is ‘ ringfenced’ allowing them to purchase materials and invest time in a job - leading to immediate payment on completion.
All messages,extras and job changes are recorded on the spot to avoid misunderstandings and reflect both parties ' conduct should a dispute arise.
“This is critical, ” states Cameron, “ as just gathering evidence againstTerri’ s rogue tradesman took months of trawling through texts and emails. ”
Tim adds that the skills crisis is leading to a shortage of construction workers,meaning that the demand for home improvements is massively outstripping the number of good tradespeople available to carry them out.
People aren ’t willing to wait more than a year and fraudsters are taking full advantage of this by taking substantial deposits then disappearing without a trace.With better financial protection both a tradesperson ’ s stress and a customer ’ s risk are dramatically reduced..
InTerri’ s case,if she had used Kiistone,she would never have parted with any money unless she was happy with the job at each point.
Tim added: “Terri and her mum have been brave enough to let us use her story to make people aware of what we ' re doing, but by the same token,rogue tradesmen like him have got to be stopped because he can 't be allowed to continue abusing people ' s trust.
“Removing the bad element is important for everyone as good tradespeople feel their reputation is being tarnished.
“Often when entering a person ’ s home you feel like you ' re guilty until proven innocent and that makes for an uneasy working environment,not conducive to solving problems that inevitably arise when working on older houses.
Terri added: “Tim ’ s been amazing.He ’ s helped us move forward because I feel like I’ ve just come to a standstill with the court,constantly asking them for updates.
“I know it can take time because they have to try and find him,but to get recognition and make sure this fellow doesn 't do it again by using my story makes me feel better after a year of feeling helpless.
“I wouldn 't have been able to do this withoutTim ’ s help and I urge others to use Kiistone for your protection. ”
If you ' re struggling to verify a trader, at least Kiistone makes sure that if the project goes awry, you can stop it and know where you stand with your money. ”
TIM MULLOCK, founder of Kiistone
ESSEX Trading Standards can help you avoid scammers and rogue traders. Don’t be a victim, follow our advice and stay safe at home.
Choose a ‘BuyWith Confidence’ accredited trader Obtain several quotes Get a written quote detailing exactly what work will be carried out, how much it will cost and what the terms of payment are. Take your time to make sure you’re happy with what you’re undertaking Ask a trusted friend/relative for advice Ask to see identity
A genuine trader will not:
Call without an appointment Ask you or offer to take you to the bank to withdraw cash or make a money transfer Ask you to pay in full before the work is complete Insist that you decide about the work they ' re offering to do on the spot Ask what your cancellation rights are? Bully or scare you into doing work
Never be pressurised into buying anything or having any work carried out. Rogue traders and doorstep callers may do unnecessary work, or to a poor standard, and the price may rapidly increase.
To find a reputable trader approved and vetted by Trading Standards visit www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk
For general help and advice or to report a problem with a trader telephone the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 11
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for useful leaflets to share with your friends and family. Don’t take chances, follow our advice and stay safe.
PAULINE SMITH, Action Fraud
Holiday crooks getting busy
AIRLINES are getting busier again. Travel firms are getting busier again. Car hire companies are getting busier again.
But that also means the criminakls are getting busier again.
It has forced Action Fraud to launch a national awareness campaign urging the public to think twice before handing over money and personal information when booking holidays.
As travel restrictions become more relaxed,Action Fraud, the national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, is warning the public to remain vigilant against holiday fraud when booking flights or accommodation online.
In the financial year 2021/22,Action Fraud received 4,244 reports of holiday and travel related fraud – a substantial increase of over 120% when compared to the previous financial year.
Victims reported losing a total of £7,388,353 – an average loss of £1,868 per victim.
Pauline Smith, Head of Action Fraud, said: “As the world begins to open up and travel restrictions relax further, it’ s no surprise that more people are eager to get away after two years of lockdowns and restrictions.
“Unfortunately, we know that as demand for holidays soar, so does the number of scams and criminals are always finding new ways to make people part with their hard earned cash. ”
Whilst many accommodation providers who make use of online booking platforms are legitimate, some criminals will use these platforms to defraud victims by advertising counterfeit accommodation.
Over 7% of victims reported falling victim to suspects impersonating legitimate travel companies, including clone comparison websites, airline websites and holiday accommodation websites.
In some cases, victims have searched for flight tickets online and have found a website they believe to be the company ’ s genuine website.
In other cases, victims reported responding to an approach or advertisement on social media or using what they believed to be legitimate flight comparison websites to search for flights.
In both instances, victims reported being contacted by someone purporting to be from the airline, or flight comparison website, to take them through the booking procedure and take payment.
The fraudster may completely end contact after receiving payment or provide the victim with fake booking information.
Sadly, some victims have only become aware that they have been the victim of fraud when they arrive at the airport and are unable to check-in. Our tops tip to avoid falling victim to holiday fraud: Stay safe online: check the web address is legitimate and has not been altered by slight changes to a domain name – such as going from .co.uk to .org. Do your research: don ’t just rely on one review – do a thorough online search to ensure the company is credible. If a company is defrauding people, there is a good chance that consumers will post details of their experience, and warnings about the company. Look for the logo: check whether the company is an ABTA member. Look for the ABTA logo on the company ' s website. If you have any doubts, you can verify membership of ABTA online on their website. If you ' re booking a flight as part of a package holiday and want more information about ATOL protection, or would like to check whether a company is an ATOL holder, visit the CAA website. Pay safe: wherever possible, pay by credit card.Avoid paying directly into a private individual’ s bank account. Check the paperwork: you should study receipts, invoices and terms and conditions, and be very wary of any companies that don ’t provide any at all. Use your instincts: if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. For a full list of tips to avoid becoming a victim of fraud, visit https://www.abta. com/tips-andadvice/planning-and-booking-a-holiday/how-avoid-travel-related-fraud.
If you think you ’ ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040, or call Police Scotland on 101.
