The UK-wide warning applies to all households amid fears that some people are being targeted

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UK households are being urged to remain vigilant against a ‘sneaky scam’ where fraudsters dispatch parcels to people who haven’t ordered them. According to Which?, criminals use this strategy to get fake reviews, and it could mean you’re vulnerable to identity theft.

In an Instagram post, the consumer champions issued a warning for social media users. Highlighting the issue, Which? said: “Households are receiving parcels for items they never ordered and these are not generous gifts, but a sneaky scam that you need to know about.”

In the post, Which? claimed that scammers might send out products to get fake reviews. The post explained: “Dodgy online sellers send you cheap, unsolicited items (such as scarves, seeds or phone cases). By sending the parcel to your address, they can ‘verify’ a fake purchase.”

The warning continued: “This allows them to write a five-star ‘Verified Purchase’ review under your name to boost their ratings.” Which? added that someone with your address could try to commit identity theft and open other accounts in your name.

If someone is sending you a parcel, the experts say they likely purchased your name and home address from a data leak or previous scan. They could then send malicious QR codes that are linked to malware websites or try to steal your identity. Which? added: “If they have your address, they might try to open other accounts in your name.”

Anyone who receives a parcel they did not order is advised to report it to the marketplace the product was sent from by reporting the delivery as an unwanted package. People should also change their passwords and monitor their credit files to check for any fraudulent accounts opened in their name.

According to Which?, there’s no requirement to return the unsolicited parcel. The post said: “The golden rule: you don’t have to pay (or send it back). Under UK law, you have a legal right to keep any ‘unsolicited goods’ sent to you.”

However, they pointed out that the product might not meet safety standards. It’s recommended to dispose of items like electronics or beauty products.

Which? reports that searches for brushing scams were trending earlier this year. However, it’s not a new problem. In 2021, the consumer champions at Which? estimated that more than one million households in the UK could have been targeted by these scams.

People who have been targeted in the past have received items such as a vacuum cleaner, bread, a pack of noodles, and phone cases, reports the Mirror. In some cases, people reported getting sent multiple parcels they had not ordered.

Contact your bank immediately if you have lost any money or spot an unauthorised transaction. If you think you’ve been scammed, call your bank, stop all contact with the scammer, report the fraud to Action Fraud, and change compromised passwords. Secure your devices, check bank statements for further issues, and report suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk. More information about brushing scams is available on the Which? website.

The comments came as a trading update also revealed the firm expects full year profits for the year to March 28 to be in line with current market expectations of £10.2million.

Nonetheless, the Thirsk headquartered company, which also has operations at Malton, reported a UK and European order book of £438million and a “record Indian order book of £331million.”

Severfield said it had a “secure order book” which “remains well diversified, with a good mix of projects across the Group’s key market sectors” and “momentum across India continues to strengthen.”

Expansion at the new Gujurat facility remains on track and the business “well positioned for opportunities in the Indian construction market.”

However, the conditions in the UK and Europe have “remained subdued, reflecting macroeconomic uncertainty, elevated interest rates, and geopolitical instability, weighing on business confidence and the timing of project awards.”

The trading update further warned: “We also remain mindful of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which continues to disrupt global trade routes and supply chains, and drive energy price volatility.

“The current direct cost exposure of the Group is limited, reflecting our well-established policies of securing steel prices at contract stage and hedging key commodity costs.

“However, whilst these measures provide a degree of short-term protection, the situation remains uncertain and largely outside the Group’s control.

“Prolonged disruption or further escalation could give rise to broader impacts on project timelines, supply chain reliability and overall market conditions. We will continue to monitor developments closely and take further mitigating actions as appropriate.”

The update concluded the board is cautious concerning the year ahead with an expected underlying pre-tax profit in the coming year of £12-15million.

The company said this reflected “increased geopolitical uncertainty, together with broader macroeconomic conditions, the impact of later project start dates, and a continued tight pricing environment.”

The full year results are expected to be published on June 23.

Donald Trump’s flip-flopping has been laid bare in the statements he has made over the last six weeks of the war – which culminated today in a chilling threat to annihilate Iran

Donald Trump’s descent into desperation during the Iran War has been laid bare, with a massive timeline of the president’s public statements capturing his conflicting briefings about the war as it enters its sixth week.

Trump, 79, despite having long insisted that the operation he launched on February 28 was successful from day one, has been accused of constantly U-turning, leaving international allies frustrated as he asks for their aid. Emmanuel Macron last week offered the most outspoken criticism of his approach, telling he president he “shouldn’t be speaking every day” as he offered unrestrained analysis of the conflict.

People can see his descent into desperation during the conflict, with the president on day one declaring Iran would learn “that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States Armed Forces“, before six weeks later threatening to destroy the entire Iranian civilisation.

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Here’s every statement Trump has made on the war so far:

1. February 28: “This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States Armed Forces.”
2. March 1: “We have very strong objectives.”
3. March 2: “We’re already substantially ahead of our time projections.”
4. March 3: “We won the war.”
5. March 4: “We’re doing very well on the war front.”
6. March 5: “[Iran] have no air force, they have no air defence.”
7. March 6: “They don’t have anyone or anything to fight with.”
8. March 7: “We defeated Iran.”
9. March 8: “I think the war is very complete, pretty much.”
10. March 9: “The war is ending almost completely, and very beautifully.”
11. March 10: “Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for USA and World, Safety and Peace.”

1. March 11: “You never like to say too ⁠early you won. We won. In the first hour it was over.”
2. March 12: “We did win, but we haven’t won completely yet.”
3. March 13: “We won the war.”
4. March 14: “The United States of America has beaten and completely decimated Iran, both militarily, economically, and in every other way, but… This should have always been a team effort.”
5. March 15: “Whether we get support or not, I can say this, and I said it to them: we will remember.”
6. March 16: “I’m demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory.”
7. March 17:“Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer ‘need,’ or desire, the Nato Countries’ assistance _ WE NEVER DID!”
8. March 18: “Allies must cooperate to open the Strait of Hormuz.”
9. March 19: “US allies need to get a grip – step up and help open the Strait of Hormuz.”
10. March 20: “Without the USA, NATO IS A PAPER TIGER!”
11. March 21: “[If Iran doesn’t] FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS.”

1. March 22: “I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD”
2. March 23: “I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THE COUNTRY OF IRAN, HAVE HAD, OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS, VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING A COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF OUR HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST.”
3. March 24: “We’ve won this war.”
4. March 25: “They gave us a present and the present arrived today. And it was a very big present worth a tremendous amount of money. I’m not going to tell you what that present is, but it was a very significant prize.”
5. March 26: “They better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is NO TURNING BACK.”
6. March 27: “We would have always been there for [NATO], but now, based on their actions, I guess we don’t have to be, do we?”

1. March 28: “Very strong talks.”
2. March 29: “To be honest with you, my favourite thing is to take the oil in Iran but some stupid people back in the US say: ‘why are you doing that?’ But they’re stupid people.”
3. March 30: “The United States of America is in serious discussions with A NEW, AND MORE REASONABLE, REGIME to end our Military Operations in Iran. Great progress has been made.”
4. March 31: “Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!”
5. April 1: “Iran’s New Regime President, much less Radicalized and far more intelligent than his predecessors, has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE!”

1. April 2: “We are gonna finish the job. We are getting very close.”
2. April 3: “[The US] hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran. Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants!”
3. April 4: “Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!”
4. April 5: “Open the f****n’ Strait, you crazy b*****ds, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.”
5. April 6: “We’re doing unbelievably well, well at a level that nobody’s ever seen before.”
6. April 7: “A whole civilization will die tonight.”

The hit series won 15 Primetime Emmy Awards throughout its run

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A ‘masterpiece’ book adaptation that scooped 15 Emmy Awards has just found a new UK streaming home. The six-season series is based on a cherished Margaret Atwood novel, which has also accumulated its fair share of literary accolades.

We are, of course, talking about The Handmaid’s Tale, which will be available to stream on Disney Plus from Wednesday (April 8). The show’s Disney debut coincides with its sequel, The Testaments, landing on the platform.

For those who missed the drama during its original run, it is set in a dystopian society where women are considered property of the state. Under the law, women are confined to limited roles, including sexual servitude to repopulate an increasingly infertile world.

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Despite its weighty themes, the 2017 series swiftly cultivated a devoted fanbase. It claimed 15 Primetime Emmy Awards, with cast members frequently earning nominations for prestigious accolades, reports the Mirror.

This should come as little surprise given that the ensemble featured Elisabeth Moss in the lead role of June Osborne. She appeared alongside fellow accomplished actors, including Max Minghella and Madeline Brewer.

Beyond critical success, the drama also garnered overwhelming praise from viewers. Audiences on Rotten Tomatoes awarded the first season an impressive 90% score, though the subsequent five instalments received varying ratings.

Sharing their verdict, one fan said: “Season 1 is perfection. Just how you imagine the book to look and feel.” A second agreed: “An absolute masterpiece in television. This is must-see content. From beautiful cinematography to poignant writing and great acting, this is TV at its finest.”

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Someone else chimed in: “Best show I’ve seen since Game of Thrones and one of the most faithful book to TV adaptions I’ve ever seen.” Meanwhile, a fourth viewer enthused: “A disturbing dystopian tale that cuts close to the bone. Atmospheric, complex and brilliantly constructed this is an excellent adaption of Atwood’s classic novel. One of the best shows of 2017.”

And a final viewer raved: “Haunting and vivid indeed. With Elisabeth Moss as lead, this is worth the while. Well, all cast excels in character. Beautifully written and directed, outstanding cinematography. Dystopian world portrayed very convincingly. Very high quality viewing with heaps of intrigue, twists and action in ways you could not imagine.”

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A Disney+ subscription now starts at £5.99 and includes hit series like The Testaments, The Handmaid’s Tale and The Bear, plus countless titles from Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and more.

The Testaments will also make its Disney Plus debut tomorrow, with three episodes dropping at once. The show follows June’s daughter Agnes (Chase Infiniti) as she studies as Aunt Lydia’s school for wives.

A synopsis teases: “The series follows young teens Agnes, dutiful and pious, and Daisy, a new arrival and convert from beyond Gilead’s borders. As they navigate the gilded halls of Aunt Lydia’s elite preparatory school for future wives, a place where obedience is instilled brutally and always with divine justification, their bond becomes the catalyst that will upend their past, their present, and their future.”

The Handmaid’s Tale will be available to stream on Disney+ from April 8

Alfred was last seen in the Halliwell area of Bolton at 9pm on Sunday, April 5.

GMP described Alfred as a black male between 5ft 9 and 5ft 11, with a slim build and black, braided hair.

According to GMP, he was last seen wearing pyjama shorts, a T-shirt, a silver necklace, and a black jacket with a fur-lined hood.

He was also carrying a black backpack when he was last seen.

GMP posted an alert to their social media channels with a description of Alfred and guidance on how to contact them with information.

GMP said: “Have you seen Alfred from Bolton?

“Officers are becoming increasingly concerned about him and want to make sure he is safe and well.

“Any info? Call us on 101 and quote log 276 of 07/04/26.

“Always call 999 in an emergency.”

The attack happened on November 6, last year, at the Stanley Jefferson on the Market Place.

Police have shared an image of the man they would like to speak to.

He is described as tall, slim, and was wearing a baseball cap and hoodie at the time.

Durham Police said: “Officers want to speak to him in connection with an assault.”

Anyone with information should contact DC Dave Taylor by calling 101 with extension 201338 or emailing dave.taylor@durham.police.uk, police said.