Residents urged to guard against coronavirus conmen

RESIDENTS are being urged to be extra vigilant amid an expected surge in coronavirus scams and rogue traders during the pandemic.

The vulnerable and elderly, including those forced to self-isolate, are particularly at risk of being targeted by offenders, Hampshire County Council’s trading standards service has said.

The warning came as a woman reported on social media that her 87-year-old father had been targeted by men at his Brockenhurst home.

They claimed to have come to clean and check his solar panels and requested up to £150 be paid within 24 hours, the daughter said. Trading Standards and police were alerted, and no money was handed over.

Known Covid-19-related scams include people claiming to offer door-to-door or online testing kits. Residents are advised to not open the door or place online orders.

HCC leader Cllr Keith Mans said: “The coronavirus pandemic is quickly changing the way we lead our lives, with many residents now staying at home.

“Unfortunately, we are hearing about new scams that Hampshire residents could fall victim to at this time, particularly on their own doorstep.

"We are determined to do everything we can to protect them from this, particularly the most vulnerable in our communities.

“Please familiarise yourself with advice from Hampshire Trading Standards Service team. Share the information with friends, family members and neighbours, as forewarned can often mean you are forearmed.”

Callers have also been targeting elderly self-isolating residents, offering to help with their shopping. The advice is to use only trusted sources such as friends and family.

Emails have also been sent out purporting to be from the government, offering tax rebates to support people during the lockdown. Online advice is available from Trading Standards to help people avoid falling for such scams.

There have also been reports of retailers overcharging for everyday essentials that have seen increased demand recently, such as toilet rolls.

The National Crime Agency has also warned about an increase in cyber-crime after instances of coronavirus-themed malicious apps and websites, as well as email phishing attacks aimed at stealing personal information.

Online safety advice can be found at www.getsafeonline.org.

Anyone who thinks they have been a victim of a cyber-attack should report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 Monday to Friday 8am-8pm.

To report an issue to HCC Trading Standards Service, or for more information, call its partners at the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.

Those needing out-of-hours help can call Hampshire police’s non-emergency number 101 or dial 999 if feeling threatened or intimidated. Incidents can also be reported to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.

Citizens Advice has an online scam checker which can be found at www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/scams/check-if-something-might-be-a-scam.