New scam warning by City of London police

The City of London police are warning people to avoid a scam where people are asked to transfer cash into a bank account in order to buy non-existant electrical goods.

Adverts have been placed in local and regional papers in Britain using fake company names such as 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 sometimes an @easymailorders.com emailaddress.

The scammers are also posting cards from the fake companies Parcel Express UK and Network Link Courier through doors, which inform the householder that they have missed delivery of a parcel, asking them to phone a number and pay for a customs charge of the product by credit or debit card. The credit or debit card details are later used fraudulently.

The Barnet Times reports how one Edgware resident discovered that Network Link Courier was a scam.

Steve Gardiner, special investigations unit manager at Devon's Trading Standards, told the Exeter Express and Echo: "This is a complex and sophisticated scam in which the company has placed ads throughout the UK under a variety of different names and phone numbers.

"It is not advisable to pay money directly into a bank account when placing an order."

Any victims should contact the City of London police by emailing ophukkaATcityoflondon.police.uk (replace AT with ampersand). Further advice can also be found from Consumer Direct by calling 08454 04 05 06.