Warning over WhatsApp scam

from Purbeck Gazette- November 2022

by The Blackmore Vale Limited

Gardening

Police warning on WhatsApp scam

PEOPLE have been warned not to fall foul of a scam being reported by users of the WhatsApp messenger service.

Dorset Police is urging the public to remain vigilant following an increasing number of reports of the scam.

The unsuspecting WhatsApp user receives a message purporting to be from a family member in need of urgent help.

The message comes from an unknown number and states something similar to ‘their phone is broken’, ‘dropped down the loo’ or ‘microphone doesn’t work’ and they cannot access their online banking – they need to urgently transfer money to another bank account to pay a bill, fine or similar.

The victim transfers money to the bank account details, which have been provided by the scammer. Then they receive another message requesting another bill is paid, then another. At this point the victim realises these requests are out of the ordinary and that they have been scammed.

If money has been paid then your bank should be contacted immediately, a Dorset Police spokesperson said.

This is a ‘push payment fraud’, where the victim has authorised the payment to another party. It is up to the bank whether the payment can be recovered.

Dorset Police investigations officer Martin Forder said: “We would like to make the public aware of this scam and encourage anyone who has been a victim of a similar incident to report it to Dorset Police and Action Fraud.

Firefighters tackling the blaze

Picture: SWANAGE FIRE STATION Heathland blaze

FIREFIGHTERS battled a blaze that broke out on around five acres of land on Povington Heath.

Two crews from Poole and a Land Rover pump from Swanage were sent to the Purbeck heathland at around 3.15pm on Wednesday, October 19.

A spokesperson for the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) said four hose reel jets and a hose reel from the Land Rover tank were among equipment used to tackle the blaze.

Later in the day, an additional off-road pump from Swanage and the Unimog appliance from Wareham were sent to ‘assist with damping down the surrounding area’, they added.