THE Police Service of Trinidad and Tobago today issued an alert to citizens regarding con artistes using cell phones and classified advertising in newspapers, to trick citizens into handing over money or personal banking information. The following is the statement –
It has come to the attention of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service that members of the public have been receiving anonymous request for assistance on their personal mobile phones. In this regard the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service wishes to advise the general public to disregard all such request once the sender cannot be verified.
1. Via your mobile phones either a personal call or text message, advising that you have won a grand sum of money and advance is being requested to process your “winnings”.
2. Via you person e-mail account , where the sender would in most instances describes themselves as a close friend of a relative and that they are stranded in a foreign country and need cash to purchase a return ticket.
3. Notifications via the mail indicating that you have won a lottery.
Members of the public are hereby advised; Do not disclose any personal information example name and address and personal banking information. If the sender of the request is not known to you personally, disregard all such calls and request.
Again! -DO NOT DISCLOSE YOUR PERSONAL BANKING INFORMATION OR SEND CASH TOTHE REQUESTING PARTY.
FRAUD ADVISORY
· The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service also wishes to advise the general public to exercise due diligence with regard to advertisements which may appear in the classified ads of the print media in respect to easy loan facilities.
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Motor Vehicles loans may appear as ‘Easy Loans’/ “Swift Loan” etc. Such advertisements tend to solicit the unsuspecting public to make small down payments for the processing of motor
vehicle loan applications. The applicant would normally be advised that the loan would be approved within seven (7) working days. When the applicant returns to the place of business, the
entity is no longer in existence and cannot be located. Members of public are hereby advised that any financial transaction (loan applications etc) should be conducted with established and
reputable entities (Banks/Credit Unions). Do not be swayed by the terms ‘ Easy and Swift” if the entity is unknown to you.
PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS
· This is a relatively new and unique form of deception. The vendor in this instance “assumes” the identity of the bone-fide property owner and prepares “official” identity in the name of the bone-fide owners, and proceeds to advertise the property for sale via the classified ads. Where such transactions are being contemplated, you are advised to have your down payment held in escrow, whilst the bona-fides of the “vendors” are being verified for authenticity. Upon complete satisfaction that the person who presents his/herself as the legitimate owner of the property (free from all encumbrances) then the legal process can take place with regard to the transaction. Under no circumstance you are to make a down-payment to any property unless you are fully satisfied that the vendor is who he/she represents him/herself to be and is duly authorized to sell such property.