ABERDEEN
A taxi driver was conned out of £23,700 – and all it took was a single email.
The 55-year-old was buying a house and paid for a lawyer to handle the contracts when he fell prey to a professional hacker.
Less than 24 hours after doing the deal, the dad-of-four got an email from the legal firm’s address, instructing him how to pay.
The man followed that instruction – and was later horrified to discover the solicitors’ email account had been hacked.
Our in-depth investigation into fraud in the region has uncovered that there have been 73 frauds like this in the north-east in the last year – and the victims were fleeced out of a total of £1,961,057.64.
More than £900,000 of that was swiped in May of this year.
And the problem is getting worse: In the previous 12-month period there were 68 incidents, when the takings totalled £1,213.552.07.
Police have now launched a campaign urging people to be on their guard – an initiative backed by the taxi driver.
The man, who has asked not to be named out of embarrassment, said he wants people to do all they can to avoid becoming the next victim.
“This experience has made me more aware. When it comes to a large sum of money you’ve got to be careful. Think twice – three times in fact. Don’t take things for granted thinking modern technology is quite safe,” said the man.
The married dad of four has worked as a cabbie for several decades and saved up enough to buy property with his wife, earning rental income.
That was a success, so he decided to do it again in 2018 – and found the perfect property.
After agreeing a price with the owner, he found a lawyer based in Aberdeen, who he has chosen not to name.
The man said: “The property was buy-to-rent, and I’ve done that before. I brought the lawyer in to finalise the deal. I had dealt with this lawyer before and everything was fine, and he’s still my lawyer.
“At one point I thought – who is going to hack the email of a lawyer? The company I went with showed me they had a strong, secure IT system but the people who hacked them are professionals.
“There was nothing the lawyers could do to stop it.”
https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/
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EDINBURGH
Politicians in the Capital are being urged by Edinburgh City Council to vote against extending licence fee deferral periods for taxi and private hire car drivers.
In light of the coronavirus crisis, in March this year the council decided to place civic, taxi and private hire car licence fees on hold for a three-month period.
With the deferral period having expired in June, the council says that private hire car and taxi trade bodies are now requesting a further three-month extension.
Fees vary amongst vehicles, but generally to renew a taxi licence for one-year costs around £365 and to renew a licence to drive taxi or private hire car costs £118.
According to the council, loss of income to its Licensing Service between March and June will be around £740,000.
While officials have recommended refusing to extend licence fee deferrals, the decision ultimately lies with members of the council’s Policy and Sustainability Committee, who will vote on the issue at a meeting this Thursday.
Should committee members go against official advice and vote for a deferral extension, the council says this would raise overall loss of income to the Licensing Service to approximately £898,000.
However, Scott Blair, Chair of the Edinburgh cab branch of Unite the Union, says that taxi drivers plan to pay all licensing fees eventually and the council therefore should not be short of any income.
Rather than defer licence fees until September, because taxi testing centres have now reopened, Mr. Blair would isntead like to see drivers offered discounted fees.
Willie Thomson, regional officer for Unite the Union, said: “This is a trade in crisis, where the public use of cabs is down 70 per cent.
“It’s time for the City of Edinburgh Council to show its support for cab drivers in Edinburgh and we call for a reduction in the licensing test fees until the trade returns to pre-covid levels.
“Other licensing authorities have reduced or cancelled annual fees at this time and Edinburgh should follow these example.”
www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com
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BRISTOL
THE boss of a Wellington taxi firm has slammed Bristol Airport bosses after it quadrupled its 'Drop and Go' parking fees in little over nine months.
Paul Hickinbottom reckons the increase will cost his firm, Archie's Cabs, around £2,000 extra a year.
The fee to use the Drop and Go area at the airport, where people can park for up to ten minutes, went up from £3 to £4 on Friday. It had increased from £1 at the end of October.
"I was furious - they did this without any prior warning," said Mr Hickinbottom.
"We take 300 people to Bristol a year - most of them also require picking up when they return. That could be an extra 1,800 a year from when it cost £1.
"Our parking bill has gone up £1 each time a few months after they put it up £2 each time. I think it's profiteering.
"We're the cheapest firm taking people from Wellington or Taunton to Bristol Airport at £65.
"I can't just afford to swallow it up these increases, but this could finish us. It's naughty what they've done.
"I can't afford it. I don't want to keep putting our prices up, but I'll have to. It's the poor customers that ends up paying the bill."
A Bristol Airport spokesman said the fee was increased on Friday (August 14) as the intention is to see a rapid turnover of vehicles in the Drop and Go area, discouraging longer stays.
He added: "The tariff reflects its convenience and proximity to the terminal.
"In recent months the area has been enhanced and redesigned to provide improved dropping off facilities for customers with easy access to the terminal.
"The development work also includes an extended drop off area and the installation of an additional exit barrier using the latest technology number plate recognition and contactless payment facilities.
"Development work continues and the trials of a pre-registered cashless solution to improve customer experience is being considered.
"Customers who are dropping off family and friends who have a disabled badge, will continue to be able to use the Drop & Go area for 30 minutes free of charge.
"The Drop & Go area is only one car park available as customers have a choice of other car parking options including a free one hour Waiting Zone.
"The free one hour car park is located by the entrance to Silver Zone to the south of the terminal.
"Drivers can wait for 60 minutes free of charge in this area, before relocating to the collect customers from the car parks closer to the terminal.
"A courtesy bus transfer bus service is also available between the Waiting Zone and terminal.
"An alternative to the Drop & Go car park is the Short Stay and Pick Up car park, located opposite the terminal building and within a short walking distance.
"This car park is designed for drivers requiring longer stay lengths when collecting or dropping off family, friends and customers, the fee is £3.50 for 20 minutes."
www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk
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The importance of taxis for disabled people
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