Voucher scam warning

Posted on October 22 2011

Consumers are being warned not to fall victim to a new wave of scams which con people into giving up cash voucher codes to pay for non-existent products.

Derbyshire County Council’s trading standards team has received a number of complaints from people – many of them elderly – who have been targeted by scammers.

They are telephoned or emailed telling them that they are eligible for a tax or insurance refund or encouraging them to enter into a loan agreement.

Callers try to get people to buy Ukash vouchers – which are sold in high street stores and each have a unique redemption code to act as a type of currency.

The scammer persuades the victim to share the code so that they can cash the voucher, but the promised windfall does not exist.

Councillor Kevin Parkinson, Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: “If an offer appears too good to be true it probably is.

“People should not reply online or buy Ukash vouchers in the hope of unlocking a windfall or arranging a loan. No money will ever be received.

“The Ukash voucher works like cash and once the voucher code is provided and redeemed by the other party the money is gone.”

Ukash vouchers are available in stores which display signs such as epay, paypoint and payzone. Each voucher is worth the amount of money it is bought for and can be used to buy things online.

People should only spend Ukash vouchers with genuine merchants, a list of which can be found at http://www.ukash.com/spend

Ukash’s own advice is to never provide any voucher details to a third party by any method as it should be treated just like cash.

Anyone who believes they are a victim of fraud should report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or report it online at http://www.actionfraud.org.uk/report_fraud Alternatively call Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.