News and Knowledge

Elderly Woman Conned in “Stranded Astronaut” Romance Scam

Police are warning the public to be cautious of online romance scams after an 80-year-old woman in Japan was swindled out of one million yen by a fraudster posing as a stranded astronaut.     The timeline of events The victim, who lives alone on Japan’s northern Hokkaido Island, met the scammer on social media…

Woman’s Credit score Plummets After a Monzo Impersonator scammed her out of a £6k loan.

After falling for a sophisticated Monzo impersonation scam, a 25-year-old woman was left with a £6,000 debt and a damaged credit score.     In March 2024, Kelle Cowell of Ashford, Kent, received a call from a person impersonating a Monzo representative. The caller advised her to transfer her money for safekeeping after alerting her…

Romance fraud gang convicted of laundering £3.25 million through online dating scam

Five individuals have been convicted of laundering over £3.25 million through an elaborate romance scam targeting victims on online dating websites.   The group exploited the emotional vulnerability of dozens of people, particularly the recently bereaved or divorced by posing as romantic partners and manipulating them into sending large sums of money. According to prosecutors,…

Gang members sentenced for financial fraud and burglary in multi-county crime

Two members of a gang who carried out almost 50 sneak-in burglaries before scamming their victims have been jailed at Lincoln Crown Court.   Darren Wykes, 46, of Kempley Avenue and 58-year-old George Quinn of Ansty Road, both from Coventry, operated across 13 counties, including Lincolnshire, Leicester, Bristol, and Southampton.     Both men would…

Drivers warned after rise in car park scams

Across the country, drivers are being warned about the rise in fraudulent QR codes being placed in car parks by scammers.   These fake QR codes often direct unsuspecting users to fraudulent websites designed to steal personal and financial information.     Victims may lose money to scammers but also may end up receiving parking…

Scam trends to watch out for in 2025

2024 saw fraudsters using the latest trends and technology to make their scams more convincing and target more people.   As we move into 2025, it is anticipated that this year will be no different. We share the most anticipated scam trends to look out for in 2025.     1) AI-powered scams The best…

Woman leaves husband and sent £697,000 to scammer after being convinced she was dating Brad Pitt

A woman from France, who has given her name as Anne, has revealed she was one of the latest of many women falling victim to the ‘Fake Brad Pitt Scam’.   The scammer, who convinced her that she was speaking to the Hollywood Actor went on to take almost £700,000 from her. This comes after…

Scam warning issued ahead of festive period – What to do if you lose money

A warning has been issued ahead of Christmas to remind people to remain vigilant of scams over the festive period.   Experts have said that Christmastime is a period when people may feel lonely if they do not have friends or family present – which can make them susceptible to fraudsters who may reach out…

Staying scam savvy – Virgin Money research shows how different generations are impacted by scams

According to research carried out involving 2,000 adults, it has been revealed that Gen Z are most likely to be caught out by telephone scams while Boomers are often tricked by phishing emails and texts; and under 27s are most likely to fall for online shopping scams.   Fifty five percent of consumers have noticed…

Authorised Push Payment Fraud – The latest figures

Danielle Lightfoot, Solicitor and Head of the Financial Litigation Department at Oakwood Solicitors, considers the latest figures released in the UK Finance Half Year Fraud Report 2024 for Authorised Push Payment scams (APP) and bank fraud in the first half of 2024.   What is Authorised Push Payment Fraud? In an authorised push payment scam…