West Yorkshire Trading Standards weekly update on COVID-19 related scams. What is happening at the moment in West Yorkshire?
Reports of a rogue trading company cold calling residents to say they’ve sent a letter stating they needed to ‘come and check if the air was fresh’ and ‘would install instruments to cleanse the air if not. They claimed pure air would prevent the corona virus.
Reports of a doorstep caller in Kirklees targeting vulnerable residents who are socially isolated. Caller claimed he was from the Red Cross, he then said he was from Social Services and he was responding to a report that there was no food in the house. The male then entered the property following the householder into the kitchen. He was not invited
in. No food was brought, nor did he have identification of any kind.
Door to door mattress sellers reported in Brighouse, traders reported to be selling mattresses that may be unsafe for consumers and not meet fire safety regulations.
Reports of rogue traders operating in the Mirfield area offering gardening services to consumers. The traders are going door to door offering to do work for a certain price, this price then changes when work is completed.
We are receiving reports of fake PPE equipment being offered, and supplied in West Yorkshire. Claims are made that products meet specific safety standards, but often they have dubious supply chains, where
Investment scams on social media offering 8% return on purchasing student flats.
Phishing emails purporting to be from EasyJet offering compensation to customers who have had their holiday cancelled.
Phishing emails purporting to be from Amazon requesting customers update their delivery address.
Scam callers claiming to be from NHS Test and Trace service asking for personal banking information.
Report scams to Action Fraud: 0300 123 2040
Report complaints to Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline: 0808 223 1133
New mailbox to deal with reports of Covid-19 Scams in West Yorkshire: Covid19.Scams@wyjs.org.uk
