West Midlands Police have made Coventry Trading Standards aware of an incident in the Wyken/Wood End area of the City where a male who purported to be a Police Officer knocked on the door of a 91 year old resident.

The resident was suspicious and thought they had closed their door but the male managed to force entry and stole various items.

It is important that residents are vigilant, both at their own propertiesand also those of elderly neighbours.

Trading Standards say if anyone calls at your property posing as a Police Officer, do not let them in without first checking their identity: phone 101 to verify that the person at your door is a bona-fide officer.

Any genuine caller who comes to your door will be only too happy to wait while you check their identification Do not just rely on identity cards as a way of telling if the caller is genuine.  If the caller is claiming to be from a local authority, government body or the Police, always make independent enquiries with that authority using a publically listed telephone number. Information provided by the caller, such as telephone numbers, should not be relied upon when making checks .Use a locally listed telephone number rather than one they may provide.

If you see anything which may be suspicious then please report the matter to Trading Standards on 03454 04 05 06 or the Police on 101 or if you feel it is an emergency then 999. 

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Coventry Trading Standards have received information of criminals sending out phishing emails to personal and business email addresses.

In the past few days, Action Fraud has advised that nationally there have been over 200 reports of this new scam email.

The criminals call themselves ‘Law-abiding citizens’ and claim that the recipient’s details have been made available to scammers. The email advises the recipient to open the attached document to rectify the problem.

In reality, the attached document opens the door to malware being downloaded onto the victim’s computer. The malware attempts to obtain sensitive data from victims, such as banking credentials and passwords; this is subsequently used to take money from the victim.

• Protect yourself by not replying to the email and ensuring your antivirus software is up to date and running.
• Never click on any links or open attachments you receive in any unsolicited emails or SMS messages:
• If you think your bank details have been compromised, you should contact your bank immediately.
• If you have been affected by this or any other fraud, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040, or visit www.actionfraud.police.uk

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Coventry Trading Standards has received a report from a local Westwood resident who has been sent a convincing looking email claiming to be from Amazon.

The spoofed email claimed the recipient had made an order online to be delivered to an alternative address and mimics an automatic customer email notification.

The email then cleverly states that if the recipient wants to check the order they can click on the help centre link.

The link leads to an authentic-looking website, which asks victims to confirm their name, address, and bank card information.

Criminals can then steal any information that you supply and use it to hijack your Amazon account, commit credit card fraud in your name, and attempt to steal your identity.

Amazon confirms that they will never ask for any personal information to be supplied by email. Read Amazon's information on how to spot a scam email.

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The following notice has been issued by the retailer:

We have recently become aware of a potential issue with the following mouthwash products. We have identified that in some instances, the preservative in the products may not operate as it should which may allow microbes to grow and contaminate the product. Although we believe the likelihood is small, this may present a risk to users of the product with a suppressed immune system. As a precautionary measure we are therefore advising customers that may have purchased products with these barcodes to stop using the product immediately and return the product to store for a full refund:

• 0410909 Wilko Kids Mouthwash Strawberry 300ml 
• 0410911 Wilko Mouthwash Coolmint 500ml
• 0410912 Wilko Advanced Clean White Mouthwash 500ml
• 0410913 Wilko Advanced Sensitive Mouthwash 500ml
• 0410914 Wilko Advanced Complete Care Mouthwash 500ml

If you have any questions, please contact your local Wilko store or call the Wilko Customer Care Team free on 08000 329 329

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Tesco is recalling its Finest Crab & Chilli Linguine because it has been mis-packed with Tesco’s Finest Spaghetti Carbonara, which means that milk and egg are not declared on the label. The product is a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents and/or to egg. The product also contains pork which is not declared on the label.

Product: Tesco Finest Crab & Chilli Linguine

Pack size: 350g

Use By date:  5 April 2017

Risk: Milk and Egg

Advice:  If you have bought the above product and have an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents and/or to egg do not eat it. Instead return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund.

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Thorntons is recalling its Dark Chocolate Easter Egg with a Personalised Iced Message because the icing contains milk which is not mentioned on the label. This means the product is a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents.

Product: Thorntons Dark Chocolate Easter Egg with a Personalised Iced Message

Pack size: 265g

Date: All dates

Batch codes: All batches

Risk: Milk

Advice: If you have bought the above product with a personalised message and have an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents, do not eat it. Instead return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund.

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