Havering residents beware telephone scammers
Havering residents have been urged to be vigilant in the face of telephoning scammers offering to protect them - from unwanted cold callers.
The con artists have been masquerading as workers from the Telephone Preference Service (TPS), a company which offers to block businesses cold calling your home.
While the TPS is a free and legitimate service, the scammers have been asking residents for a �39.99 registration fee.
The scam follows a recent Residents’ Association newsletter article espousing the benefits of TPS.
Leader of the Residents’ Association, Cllr Clarence Barrett, has now reported the bogus operators to TPS. He said: “TPS is a free service for consumers wanting to register and they would never contact people in order to obtain payment. Please be aware of companies claiming to be TPS or BT asking for a fee to register or renew registration.
“The golden rule is not to make any payments or pass on bank details to organisations or individuals unless you know it is a trusted source.”
A TPS spokesman said: “We are concerned about some outfits misrepresenting our organisation and will collate and report misrepresentation to the appropriate regulatory bodies. We will cooperate with Trading Standards and other agencies to investigate cases where such calls are fraudulent.”
Most Read
- 1 Local election 2022: HRA and Labour form new Havering administration
- 2 'Transformational’: What is the Elizabeth line and what does it mean for Havering?
- 3 Supermarket giant Aldi confirms construction of new Romford store is ‘progressing well’
- 4 Nude cycle ride supporting cyclists' safety and body positivity to come to Romford
- 5 Apology issued after NHS nurse 'was failed by short-staffed Queen's Hospital maternity ward'
- 6 Met Police reportedly 'scrutinising CCTV' in Havering electoral fraud investigation
- 7 Former Upminster farmer hopes to buy back land, but is wary of price going 'up and up and up'
- 8 Jailed: Woman raped by two men in 'depraved' set-up
- 9 Man stabbed in head in reported Hornchurch robbery
- 10 NEU brands restructure 'detrimental' while trust says union 'not putting pupils first': Harold Hill school strikes resume
“There are commercial companies offering call suppression services and we would advise residents not to provide bank or credit card details to anyone who calls them.”
The official TPS website is at: www.tpsonline.org.uk