News

Citizens Advice Pembrokeshire launches campaign to expose scammers’ tricks

Published

9 years ago

July 19, 2016

shutterstock_277122587 CITIZENS ADVICE PEMBROKESHIRE and Pembrokeshire Trading Standards Team are urging people in Pembrokeshire to spread the word about scams and expose the tactics of fraudsters to protect others.

Citizens Advice Pembrokeshire and Trading Standards are hosting an information session in Fishguard library next Wednesday (Jul 27) from 10am until 1pm, to help raise awareness of popular scams, how to deal with them and the importance of reporting them. They will be joined by Paul Davies, Assembly Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire.

Mr Davies said, “I’m pleased to support Citizens Advice Pembrokeshire and other organisations who are working hard to raise awareness of scams right across Wales. It’s important that everyone gets involved in this campaign and helps spread the message that scams can be tackled if we work together to spot the signs and share what we learn with others.”

He added, “People across Wales are losing their savings in the space of a telephone conversation, the click of a mouse or the stroke of a pen and it is simply unacceptable. That’s why I’m urging everyone in Pembrokeshire to look out for each other and help eradicate these scams from our communities.”

It comes as national research by Citizens Advice finds scammers are using a variety of tactics to get people to part with their cash, with people losing an average of £2,500 across all types of scam.

Scam methods include vishing whereby scammers cold-call people in a bid to get their bank details, and offers of fake services, such as telling people their computer has a virus which they can fix remotely.

Investment scams carried the highest price tag, with people investing in fake diamonds or bogus stocks and shares losing of on average £20,000 each.

Citizens Advice is warning people to be on guard and watch out for the different methods used by fraudsters, from doorstep selling of counterfeit goods to demands for upfront payments for services that never materialise.

Vicki Skeats, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Pembrokeshire said:

“Scams are not a minor blight, they heap misery on people and in some cases can lead to financial ruin.

“Fraudsters use sophisticated techniques to con people and because they vary their methods, it can be tricky to spot when something is a scam. If you come across something that seems suspicious, seek advice so you don’t put yourself at risk.

“It’s vital to report scams and spread the word so we can clampdown on con artists and stop others falling into the same traps.

Eight common scams reported to Citizens Advice are:

Investment – victims are persuaded to invest money into fake ventures and are then unable to get their money back.
Fake services – people are offered a service for a fee, only to find the service isn’t real or doesn’t exist at all. Examples include, offers to fix computers remotely and fake invoices for advertising.
Vishing – con-artists cold-call people pretending to be a legitimate company, asking for credit or debit card details – for example on the pretence that they need to refund overpaid bills.
Doorstep selling – victims are offered goods door-to-door or from the back of a van, which are likely to be counterfeit. Fraudsters selling mattresses, “fresh” fish and cleaning products were all reported to Citizens Advice.
Upfront payment or fee – fraudsters ask for a payment in advance for a service or product that never materialises, such as asking for a fee to get a loan, or to pay for a training course to secure a job.
Premium rate texts – victims inadvertently agree to receive premium rate texts about games or competitions, usually costing around £4 each.
Counterfeit goods – people buy goods at marketplaces or online that turn out to be counterfeit or even stolen. Common products include cigarettes, shoes and clothing, and tickets for events.
Goods not received – people place orders for goods which don’t arrive. Scams are often carried out through social media and online auction sites.

Crime

Man arrested on suspicion of murder after woman’s body found in Cardigan boatyard

Published

4 minutes ago

November 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Victim’s family informed as officers appeal for witnesses who were near the scene from Thursday night

POLICE have launched a murder investigation following the discovery of a woman’s body at a boatyard in Cardigan.

Dyfed-Powys Police said officers were called to Netpool Boatyard at around 12:35pm on Saturday (Nov 15) after the body of a woman was found.

A 29-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody.

The woman’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.

There has been an increased police presence in the town since Saturday afternoon, with officers cordoning off the Netpool slipway and nearby access roads. Late on Saturday night, a boat covered in black plastic sheeting was removed from the scene as part of the ongoing forensic investigation.

Detectives are appealing for information from anyone who may have been at, or seen activity around, the boatyard from 9:00pm on Thursday, November 13 onwards.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police via the website https://orlo.uk/olxMg, email [email protected], or call 101, quoting reference 144 of November 15. Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Community

Best of Brass concert set to light up St Davids Cathedral

Published

15 minutes ago

November 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

TWO of Wales’ finest brass bands will come together next month for a spectacular evening of music at one of the county’s most iconic venues.

The Goodwick Brass Band will perform in concert with the world-number-one ranked Cory Band at St Davids Cathedral on Saturday, December 3, 2016, at 7:30pm.

Organisers say the event, titled Best of Brass, promises an unforgettable night for music lovers, showcasing the very best in Welsh brass banding. The Cory Band, famed for their rich sound and innovative performances, will share the stage with Goodwick Brass Band, Pembrokeshire’s own national champions, in what is expected to be a sell-out concert.

The concert takes place by kind permission of the Dean and Chapter of St Davids Cathedral, offering a rare chance to hear two elite ensembles perform within the stunning acoustics of the historic setting.

Tickets are priced at £15, £12, and £10, and are available from West Wales Arts Centre, Goodwick Post Office, St David’s Bookshop, Musicians World in Haverfordwest, and Yr Hen Emporium in Cardigan, or directly from any band member.

Entertainment

Local premiere for S4C documentary on Pembrokeshire’s ‘Cannabis Cove’

Published

1 hour ago

November 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Exclusive screening revisits one of Wales’ most remarkable police operations

A TWO-PART documentary exploring a major drugs bust that stunned a quiet Pembrokeshire seaside town will have its exclusive English-language premiere in Newport next week.

Cannabis Cove: Operation Seal Bay, produced for S4C, takes viewers back to 1983, when the peace of Newport was shattered by one of the most extraordinary police investigations in Welsh criminal history.

That summer, the town became the unlikely centre of an international smuggling ring after a local fisherman, Andy Burgess, spotted something unusual at a remote beach called Pwll Coch—known locally as Seal Bay.

Soon after, authorities discovered a concealed hatch on nearby Traeth Cell Hywel. Beneath it lay a man-made underground chamber stocked with food, radio equipment and fibreglass resin — “like something straight out of James Bond.”

The mystery unfolds

As detectives began to investigate, residents reported strange activity around Newport — unfamiliar luxury cars on rural lanes, and strangers flashing £50 notes in local pubs.

What followed was a sprawling investigation that reached from Pembrokeshire to Scandinavia and the Middle East. Within days, three men — Robin Boswell, Ken Dewar, and escaped drug trafficker Sam Spanggaard — were arrested.

However, the case soon hit a snag: the drugs had disappeared. Without the contraband, the entire prosecution risked collapse. Detectives began to suspect there was a local connection — someone who knew the coastline well.

Forty years on

More than four decades later, S4C’s new documentary returns to the mystery with rare interviews, archive footage, and dramatic re-enactments.

For the first time, it includes testimony from a local man — known only as “Jim” — whose words are voiced by an actor to protect his identity. “Jim,” who once modified cars for Boswell, became unwittingly entangled in a smuggling network stretching from Pembrokeshire to Morocco and beyond.

The two episodes retrace both the discovery of the secret underground chamber and the international scope of the operation that followed.

Local resident Wendy Phillips recalled: “Everyone knew everyone. Everyone knew each other’s business — that’s just how you were brought up.”

Screening in Newport

The pre-broadcast English-language screening of Cannabis Cove: Operation Seal Bay will take place at 6:30pm on Thursday, November 20, at Canolfan Bethlehem, Upper West Street, Newport.

Following the screening, there will be a Q&A session with retired detectives Don Evans and John Daniels, who worked on the original case, alongside the film’s director James Hale.

Entry is free, but donations will be taken on the door to support Canolfan Bethlehem.

Cannabis Cove: Operation Seal Bay airs on S4C later this month.