Mon, 17 Feb 2025

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 'Fake bailiffs said they'd take my furniture'

Criminals pretending to be bailiffs are tricking people into paying thousands of pounds to settle fictitious debts.
Two people, Paul from Northumberland and Victoria from Cheshire, fell victim to a complex scam where they were threatened with bailiffs unless they paid off non-existent debts. The scammers phoned them, claiming to be bailiffs from a local court, and provided convincing details about the debt, including fake court documents and phone numbers. They told the victims that their furniture would be seized if they didn't pay up. Paul was told he owed £2,950 in unpaid social media marketing fees and was asked to transfer the money to a "court-appointed adviser's" personal bank account. He only realized it was a scam when his husband looked up the correct contact number for the court and found that it was different from what the scammers had given him. Victoria received similar calls, with one scammer claiming she owed £1,500 in unpaid Google advertising fees. She was told there was a warrant out for her arrest if she didn't pay up, and even got a call from another scammer who claimed to be on his way to collect her belongings. The scammers used convincing tactics to make the victims believe that they were legitimate bailiffs, including providing fake court documents and phone numbers. However, both Paul and Victoria were eventually able to uncover the scam when they looked up the correct contact information for their local courts. Experts warn that these types of scams are on the rise, with many victims not reporting the incidents because they feel embarrassed or ashamed. The Ministry of Justice advises anyone receiving a similar call to hang up and find the correct number for the court, rather than paying any money.
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