Fraudsters using bank charges to commit crimes

A warning has recently been issued by the Office of Fair Trading after it was discovered that some fraudsters are using the bank charges situation in order to try and obtain personal details from vulnerable and naïve consumers and then commit a crime through the use of these details.

The fraudsters are actually pretending to be officials from the Office of Fair Trading when they call consumers and try and obtain their details.

According to recent reports the fraudsters are calling consumers and stating that they intend to help them to reclaim their bank charges. They are then asking for account and card information stating that this is necessary, and in some cases have managed to retrieve this from the consumer. This information is then used to fraudulently order items, steal, or commit other crimes.

Officials from the Office of Fair Trading have confirmed that this is a scam, and that no official from the agency would ever phone and ask for personal details in this way. Consumers are warned never to give out card or account information to anyone on the phone unless the call was initiated by themselves. Such sensitive information should not be given in response to an email either, and consumers should avoid accessing what looks to be their bank’s website via an email link.

Officials have urged consumers that receive such phone calls to avoid passing on any details, to treat the call with suspicion, and to contact the OFT and report details of the call. This appears to be the latest scam used by fraudsters across the UK due to the OFT’s involvement with the controversy over bank charges, which has erupted over the last year or so.

Tom Smith
9th October 2007

Tags: calls, consumers, crime, telephone, fraud