Telford & Wrekin Council issue loan scam warning for local residents
Telford & Wrekin Council Trading Standards are issuing a warning to local people after three people in the borough, and more across the country, have fallen victim to a scam and lost varying amounts of money.
All of these people have been contacted about a loan by a company who will release money to you for a fee.
You send this fee to an address in India, via Western Union, but the loan never appears in your account.
After the first fee is received from you, they contact you again and request you pay more. This is often claimed to be for tax or insurance. Then they call you again and it goes on. The amounts often increase each time. At no time is any loan money received.
Ian Mercer, Telford & Wrekin Council’s Public Protection Manager, said: “Many people are facing difficult times financially and to keep afloat need to access loans. However traditional routes like using banks or building societies, or loan comparison websites may prove unsuccessful.
“Then out of the blue you receive a phone call. It may seem easy and legitimate, an answer to your prayers, but beware these are often scams. Only ever use companies you have heard of.”
To avoid scams such as these be wary:
· If you receive an offer that sounds too good to be true.
· If you are offered a loan when everyone else has refused you, but you must first pay fees using a money transfer service.
· If you are coached by the people offering the loan to say that the person that you are sending money to is known to you.
If you are uncertain about a company that has approached you, or you have approached, contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06, or visit the consumer advice pages on Directgov. They will provide you with free impartial information.
Trading Standards would like to make it clear that the loan comparison sites and Western Union are legitimate companies.
Western Union warn anyone about sending money to someone who they do not know or trust.
