Within the past 24 hours a number of businesses throughout the UK have received extortion demands from a group going by the name of ‘Lizard Squad’.

Method of attack:

The group have sent emails demanding payment of 5 Bitcoins, to be paid by a certain time and date. The email states that this demand will increase by 5 Bitcoins for each day that it goes unpaid.

If their demand is not met, they have threatened to launch a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack against the businesses’ websites and networks, taking them offline until payment is made.

The demand states that once their actions have started, they cannot be undone.

 What to do if you’ve received one of these demands:

• Report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040
• Do not pay the demand
• Retain the original emails (with headers)
• Maintain a timeline of the attack

MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) have issued a national warning after being made aware of instances of cold-callers knocking on doors, and announcing themselves as being from ‘Money Expert’.

These cold callers are offering various energy products, and due to the name, there has been confusion in that consumers have thought they were working on behalf of MSE.

More worryingly still, there have been as yet unconfirmed reports that certain cold-callers have been mentioning MSE founder Martin Lewis's name when trying to persuade homeowners to switch their energy provider.

Read the full article.

Trading Standards advice is to never hand over personal information to any cold caller, be it over the phone or at the doorstep.

Information on our Stop Cold Calling sticker pack can be found on our website: www.coventry.gov.uk/stop-cold-callers

Trading Standards are warning residents in the Charter Avenue and Cromwell Lane area to be extra vigilant following reports of a male going door to door apparently showing a piece of paper which could relate to ‘begging’ and possibly looking for somewhere to sleep.

Although it appears that these incidents did not involve an offer of work to any of the properties, it is suspected that the male may have been trying to gain information as to who was living in the area and what houses may have been unoccupied at the time.

Trading Standards advice is DO NOT answer the door to anyone you do not recognise and NEVER let them into your house.

Always ask for ID if someone states they are there to do work. If you are unsure, any genuine trader will not mind waiting outside until you have checked this out.

We would also ask that if you have any elderly or vulnerable neighbours that you keep a look out for cold callers in your area or anyone acting suspiciously. It would also help if registration numbers of any vehicles being used by the cold callers are noted down and reported

The Police have been informed of these latest incidents but if you experience a similar encounter then please report this to the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06.

Lidl is recalling cans of Nixe brand assorted ‘Herring Fillets’ (200g) because they contain one or more of the following allergens: fish, milk, egg, mustard and wheat (gluten) which are not mentioned in English on the label. This may result in a possible health risk to anyone with an allergy or intolerance to one of the above allergens.

Products details:

Product: Herring Fillets in a Tomato Sauce
Brand: Nixe
Pack size: 200g
Best before date: 16 March 2020
Undeclared allergens: fish

Product: Herring Fillets in a Tomato and Red & Green Pepper Sauce

Brand: Nixe
Pack size: 200g
Best before date: 16 March 2020
Undeclared allergens: fish and milk

Product: Herring Fillets in a Mustard Sauce

Brand: Nixe
Pack size: 200g
Best before date: 16 March 2020
Undeclared allergens: fish, egg, wheat (gluten) and mustard

Product: Herring Fillets in a Tomato & Pepper Sauce
Brand: Nixe
Pack size: 200g
Best before date: 16 March 2020
Undeclared allergens: fish and mustard

Risk:

Allergens: fish, milk, egg, mustard and wheat (gluten).

Advice:

If you have bought any of the above products and have an allergy or intolerance to any of the above allergens, please do not eat it. Instead return it to the store from where you bought it for a full refund.

No other Lidl products are known to be affected.

AB World Foods is recalling Blue Dragon ‘Value Pack’ 3 x sachets because they contain one of more of the following allergens: soya, wheat (gluten) and/or molluscs (oyster), which are not mentioned on the outside packaging.

A packing error means that some of the multipacks may contain different sachets from those stated on the outer packaging and therefore the allergen information may be incorrect.

The Products are sold in Poundworld Retail Ltd, TJ Morris, Netto UK Ltd and B&M Retail Ltd

Product Details:

Product: ‘Value Pack’ 3 x sachets of Oyster and Spring Onion
Pack size: 3 x 110g
Batch code:  All date codes
Undeclared allergens: Molluscs (oyster)

Product: ‘Value Pack’ 3 x sachets of Chow Mein Sauce
Pack size: 3 x110g
Batch code: All date codes
Undeclared allergens: Soya and wheat (gluten)

Product: ‘Value Pack’ 3 x sachets of Sweet Chilli Sauce
Pack size: 3 x110g
Batch code: All date codes
Undeclared allergens: Soya and wheat (gluten) or molluscs (oyster)

Risks:

The above products contain molluscs (oyster), soya and/or wheat (gluten) which are not mentioned on the outer packaging. This means the products may be a possible health risk to anyone with an allergy to mollusc (oyster), soya and/or wheat or intolerance to gluten.

Advice:

If you have bought one of the above products and have an allergy or intolerance to molluscs (oyster), soya or wheat or intolerance to gluten, do not eat it. Instead, return the product to the store from where it was bought for a full refund.