Warning over home working bills (From Gazette & Herald)

Warning over home working bills

TRADING standards officers have issued a warning about work-from-home schemes after a man was left with an unexpectedly hefty bill.

Using the internet, the Scarborough man put his details online to apply for work. He was then contacted by a company wishing to contract him for a scheme for redirecting parcels.

All seemed well until he received two credit card bills in his name to the value of £841 and the other for £1,313.

North Yorkshire trading standards officers believe that someone has used his details fraudulently to obtain a credit card and because the details were obtained via the internet, the unfortunate complainant is having trouble locating the person who has perpetrated this identity fraud.

Coun John Fort, the county council's executive member for trading standards, said: "It is unfortunate that someone seeking to obtain employment in order to support themselves is being subject to this most pernicious scam.

''I would advise caution to anyone if they are to enter such personal details and send them via the internet. Home working schemes have long been a source of complaint for North Yorkshire trading standards and I'd hope this warning will at least enable people to be on their guard and turn down these offers that may seem too good to be true."

For consumer advice in cases like this call 08454 04 05 06.

Updated: 13:17 Wednesday, June 22, 2005