[indoexpat-uk] UK - Police Advisory

Thursday 18 June 2009

Warning over bogus adverts 

Police are advising the public not to reply to bogus adverts placed in local and national press by a company
claiming to sell high value electrical goods at reduced prices.

Customers who have attempted to buy goods from the advert have been asked to pay or transfer cash into a bank
account. They are told that the items will be sent to them only to find that the purchases never arrive.

The adverts have been placed in local papers and magazines nationwide under a variety of names including
Arash Ltd, The Gadget Company, Gadget Limited, Office Bits Warehouse, Office Supplies Cabin and Office
Brands Megastore. The only contact details are telephone and fax numbers and occasionally an email
address that is based on the domain: @easymailorders.com. (It should be noted that there are companies in
the UK trading legitimately under names similar to 'The Gadget Company'.)

Another aspect of the scam is that cards from a company calling themselves 'Parcel Express UK' are posted
through random front doors telling the householder that they have missed delivery of a parcel. It asks the
recipient to phone a number and pay for a customs charge of the product by credit or debit card, once this is
done the parcel fails to arrive. Again the money is not debited from the victims' account but the details
are later used fraudulently.

Parcel Express UK is not a legitimate company. As a matter of course unless you are confident of the
legitimacy of the company contacting you then do not provide your card or bank details to organisations or
people not known to you.

If you have placed an order in response to one of the newspaper adverts concerned, or called 'Parcel Express
UK', you should inform your bank immediately and cancel your card.

Det Ch Supt Steve Head, head of the Economic Crime Directorate at the City of London Police and the force
investigating the frauds, said:

"The City of London Police Economic Crime Directorate is working closely with Westminster Trading
Standards Office and the Metropolitan Police to identify those responsible for this fraud.

"We are at an early stage, however it is evident victims have been duped by bogus advertisements for reduced
price goods, placed in trusted newspapers and national magazines. Our advice to people is this: only ever
part with your financial details to a known and trusted company. Likewise if an approach for delivery of a
parcel is unexpected or unsolicited, be wary, question the reasons why and take time out to consider the
validity of the request. Trading Standards or Consumer Direct can offer advice."

If you suspect you have been a victim of this crime please report it to the City of London Police at ophukka@...

Further advice on consumer rights can be found at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk, or by contacting Consumer
Direct on 08454 04 05 06.
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