A major bank has recorded a 74% surge in the number of reports of vehicle scams in the first half of this year, with victims losing nearly £1,000 on average. The Ford Fiesta is the most commonly-reported model to feature in vehicle-related scams so far this year, according to Lloyds Bank. Bogus offers of BMWs and Audis also feature heavily among the fake ads, with motorbikes and classic cars also cropping up regularly, it added. There is also a thriving trade in fake ads for parts and accessories, such as alloy wheels, the bank said. According to the testimony of scam victims, vans are also often popular because people are seeking cheap models to be converted in campervans, Lloyds said. The findings were based on analysis of scams reported by Lloyds Banking Group customers during between January and June 2023. This was then compared with the same period in 2022 – and a 74% increase was found. Lloyds said victims are losing an average of £998, with people aged between 25 and 34 being the most likely age group to report being duped. Scams work by fraudsters creating fake posts on social media or online marketplaces to advertise vehicles that do not exist. They will include pictures of genuine cars or vans to convince the unsuspecting buyer that they are genuine. When a potential buyer responds, they will often be asked to make a deposit to “secure” the car, or even sometimes to pay the full amount, alongside excuses as to why the car cannot be physically viewed ahead of the payment being made. The fraudster will often apply pressure-selling tactics, telling the buyer the car is very popular, that they have several other offers, or that the payment must be made by a certain deadline, Lloyds said. Victims may be tricked into sending money via bank transfer. As soon as the payment is made, the buyer will be blocked and the seller’s profile will disappear. Occasionally, a fake address will be provided at which to collect the car, leaving buyers with a wasted trip alongside the financial loss. Ford Fiestas have been highly popular in the genuine sales market. Figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) in August indicated that the Ford Fiesta was the UK’s best-selling used car between April and June. The manufacturer recently ended production of the car at its factory in Cologne, Germany. If you do want to buy something you've found through social media, only transfer funds once the car is in your possession Liz Ziegler, Lloyds Bank Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds Bank said: “Buying directly from approved dealers is the best way to guarantee you’re paying for a genuine vehicle, and always use your debit or credit card for maximum safety. “If you do want to buy something you’ve found through social media, only transfer funds once the car is in your possession.” Here are some tips from Lloyds Bank to avoid vehicle scams: 1. Fraudsters use social media to advertise vehicles that do not exist. Always do your own research and do not part with any money until you have viewed, and tested, the vehicle in person. 2. Check documents. Always ask to see the seller’s logbook, to verify that the seller is the legitimate owner. 3. The safest way to buy a new or used car is often from well-known, approved dealers. Organisations such as the AA offer specific guidance for buying cars unseen. 4. Low prices and pressure selling tactics are often used to target victims. Question if a deal looks “too good to be true” and compare prices from trusted sources. 5. Always use your debit or credit card when you shop online. This helps to protect your money should something go wrong. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Standard Life confirms plans for pensions dashboard BBC reviews Russell Brand’s time at corporation as YouTube demonetises content BBC removes some Russell Brand content as monetisation suspended on YouTube

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Snapchat users say they were left terrified after the app’s artificial intelligence system posted a “scary” image of its own. The “My AI” tool is built into Snapchat and works as a chatbot: users can talk to it like they would a real person. It will not only recommend Snapchat features but also converse with people. Overnight, however, Snapchat users found that their AI friend had posted an image to its story. That came as a surprise since it was not clear the system was even able to do so. Users then found themselves concerned by the picture itself. It showed two interlocking colours – in such a way that led many to speculate that it was a picture of a wall and a ceiling. On Twitter, some users even said they became panicked because of fears that the picture depicted their own wall. But the picture appears to have been the same for all Snapchat users, and it is unclear what it actually shows. Very soon after the picture was posted, it was removed again. And Snapchat’s My AI then went offline, with users who tried to talk to it receiving an error messaging indicating that it was experiencing a “technical issue”. Some time after, My AI came back online, though the post remained deleted. Users were then able to ask the system what had happened – and in response to one, it said that the post was a “fun way to mix things up” and then apologised if it had “caused any concern”. In another conversation, My AI said that the post was a “spooky ghost prank” that was “hilarious and gave us quite a scare”. It then appeared to suggest that it needed help. But both the explanation and the other suspect messages that came from My AI are likely a result of the artificial intelligence system inventing stories in response to questions, rather than giving factual information about what had actually happened. Large language models such as those used in My AI are very good at giving convincing answers in response to questions – but often that information is not actually factually accurate. Snapchat confirmed in a statement that it had experienced technical issues. “My AI experienced a temporary outage that’s now resolved,” a spokesperson told The Independent. But it did not address the unusual picture that had been posted just before that temporary outage began. Read More iPhone owners to receive payouts from Apple Something unexpected is happening to people’s iPhone 14s, owners claim Twitter turning Tweetdeck into paid service after slowing down access to rivals iPhone owners to receive payouts from Apple Something unexpected is happening to people’s iPhone 14s, owners claim Twitter turning Tweetdeck into paid service after slowing down access to rivals

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Police in the UK have blamed an Android smartphone update on a record increase in accidental 999 calls. The National Police Chiefs Council said the Emergency SOS function was resulting in emergency switchboards being overwhelmed by “silent” calls. The emergency feature is activated when a side button on a device is repeatedly pressed, which triggers a countdown that allows the action to be cancelled by dragging a slider across the screen. However, many users appear to inadvertently initiate emergency calls when their device is in a bag or pocket. “Nationally, all emergency services are currently experiencing record high 999 call volumes,” the National Police Chiefs Council said. “There’s a few reasons for this, but one we think is having a significant impact is an update to Android smartphones.” Met Police chief superintendent Dan Ivey said people should disable the emergency feature, claiming that an “unprecedented” number of calls to emergency lines in June were a result of people accidentally activating it. The majority of smartphone owners in the UK use Android, with Samsung, Huawei and Google Pixel phones all using the mobile operating system. Google, which first began rolling out the Emergency SOS update with the release of Android 12 in 2021, said that it was working with these smartphone manufacturers in order to resolve the issue. “To help these manufacturers prevent unintentional emergency calls on their devices, Android is providing them with additional guidance and resources,” a spokesperson for Google said. “We anticipate device manufacturers will roll out updates to their users that address this issue shortly. Users that continue to experience this issue should switch Emergency SOS off for the next couple of days.” The feature can be deactivated within the ‘Safety and Emergency’ section of Android’s settings. Android researcher Mishaal Rahman noted on Twitter that the issue also appeared to impact other law enforcement agencies around the world, including police in Canada and Europe. Read More Facebook and Instagram to block news in Canada Police warn about dangerous emergency setting on Android phones Meta rejects accusation of censorship of language around female body Facebook and Instagram to block news in Canada

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