Frauds

Businesses involved in making, supplying or promoting Electronic Sales Suppression (ESS) systems that help users hide or reduce the value of till sales, now face fines of up to £50,000 and criminal investigations. Users also face fines as HMRC increases efforts to target the tax evasion practice.

https://businessnewswales.com/new-powers-introduced-as-hmrc-targets-till-fraud/

Estate agents, and other industry professionals, are being warned that they must have the right tools in place to reduce the risk of fraud amid the rise of quickfire sales.

https://propertyindustryeye.com/estate-agents-urge-to-have-the-right-tools-in-place-to-cut-fraud-risk/

A grieving widow was conned out of £500,000 by a fraudster posing as Scottish actor Gerard Butler.

https://news.stv.tv/world/widow-anne-larkin-conned-out-of-500000-by-fraud-she-thought-was-gerard-butler-appears-on-itvs-this-morning

As the cost of cooking oil rises, make sure you don't get ripped off by finding a cut-price supplier with adulterated wares, says Jackie Healing

https://www.thecaterer.com/business/how-to-stop-cooking-oil-fraud

(Bloomberg) -- The French government blamed ticket fraud on an “industrial scale” for the mayhem that delayed the start of the Champions League final on Saturday and led to police forces firing tear gas at British supporters.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/france-blames-extensive-ticket-fraud-153358755.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw&tsrc=twtr&guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly90LmNvLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAEeakPy27U1KFa8YGb4vG1NfJXXZl1Z5yvC06QV5UA6_DltFN4rtXcZR0kIGTsrJe2IiGIqnM83PVToZIaYZJEbFNfiCfkBQp_P-COwUOCM1Vddff4ZnCWqLZcUMLFJn7e3sYViddsdu7vKX9VQ917Icgyomv9bcFiq2zgdDIcZk

CSCS, the Construction Skills Certification Scheme, has set its lawyers on to a website purporting to offer industry skills cards without any tests or exams.

https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/nfdc-issues-card-scam-warning?utm_source=tci&utm_medium=sharing&utm_campaign=twitter

For most people, buying a property is likely to be the largest transaction they ever make. In March this year, according to Rightmove’s House Price Index, the average property value broke the £350k mark for the first time, with the average house price now reported to be £354,564. The Land Registry also reported an 11% rise in house prices year-on-year in February.

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/associate-news/property-prices-soar-and-fraudsters-know-it-too

Action Fraud has launched a national awareness campaign to urge the public to think twice before handing over money and personal information when booking holidays.

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/news/new-warning-issued-as-reports-of-holiday-fraud-skyrockets-by-more-than-120

Puppies were 'found dead in a freezer' during an investigation into an £850,000 dog-selling fraud. Four members of the puppy selling gang have pleaded guilty to offences in connection with the fraudulent sale of puppies.

https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/essex-crime-puppies-found-dead-7101889

Police are urging the public to remain vigilant after an attempted fraud of almost £3,000.

https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2022-05-13/police-warning-after-woman-in-80s-targeted-in-attempted-fraud