Greg Warns on New Year Scams

East Yorkshire MP Sir Greg Knight MP is urging local residents to be ‘scam aware’ in the New Year as fraudsters look for new ways to make money and defraud during the coronavirus lockdown.

One recent scam involves a printed card arriving at your address claiming that the Royal Mail or other courier company has an undelivered letter or parcel for you and asking for a small amount, such as £1.99 or so, for them to redeliver it.  People who respond by phone are then asked for their bank card details and shortly afterwards their bank account is drained.

Other scams involve unsolicited contact about New Year bargains and even emails purporting to be from the Government pursuing unpaid parking charges.

Some crooks have even been trying to sell fake COVID-19 testing kits.

Sir Greg said: “We don’t want these crooked scammers operating in East Yorkshire. If you are sent an unexpected email requiring payment, never click on the links within the email.  Choose another method of verification such as searching for the company online or by telephoning them.”

Greg adds: “Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and their communications often look genuine but be aware they are a fast-track way of being conned out of your money.”