Warning over bogus charity collectors

Fraudsters pretending to be from charities are feared to be targeting people in Scarborough.

North Yorkshire Police says it has been made aware of potentially bogus charity collectors operating in the town and surrounding villages.

Officers from Scarborough’s Community Impact Team are working with Scarborough Borough Council’s Licensing

Team to ensure that all charity collectors, including door-to-door and vehicle collection, are officially allowed to operate in the area.

Door-to-door collectors, including those dropping off charity bags, must be displaying the correct ID for the charity that they are collecting for.

If you have any concerns about the collectors in your area, contact Scarborough Borough Council on 01723 232323 or police on 101 quoting reference number 12200088487.

You can also email nathan. stuart@northyorkshire.pnn. police.uk

Scammers have been using l the pandemic to trick people into buying pets that don’t exist. Criminals have been advertising puppies and kittens for sale online and then asking people to send money up-front.

They have used the outbreak of Covid-19 and social distancing as a reason people cannot visit the animal beforehand. They also ask the victim to put down a deposit and then request more money to cover insurance, vaccinations and even delivery of the pet.

The pets do not exist and the scammer will stop contact after taking the money.