Latest news with #Dundee-born
The Courier
4 days ago
- Business
- The Courier
Criminals target Apprentice star in V&A Dundee scam bid
The Apprentice star Mike Soutar has revealed how he was targeted by criminals who used V&A Dundee in a bid to scam him. The Dundee-born businessman, a regular on Lord Sugar's BBC show, received an email he believed had been sent by the museum's chairman, Tim Allan. The message asked Mike – a board member at the V&A – to buy gift cards as a reward for hard-working staff at the museum. But he eventually realised he was being scammed when one of his transactions was blocked. Mike, who started his career at DC Thomson and is famed for catching out candidates on The Apprentice, posted about the scam bid on LinkedIn. He said the email from 'Tim' asked him to buy £450-worth of iTunes vouchers and to send his V&A colleague the pin numbers. Mike wrote: 'He sounds a bit stressed and impatient so I try to call him. 'I get no answer but, pressed for time myself, I buy £150 of vouchers. 'My credit card flags the second transaction and blocks it. 'I curse the overcautious fraud filter, and I tap on Tim's name at the top of the email address. 'It is not his email address. 'I message him. He phones me back. 'What's all this about vouchers?'' Mike says he got his money back but felt like an 'absolute mug' at nearly being caught out. He said: 'The irony is not lost on me. 'I'm the man who catches unwitting candidates out on The Apprentice! 'But scams don't prey on stupidity. They prey on timing. On stress. On distraction. They exploit trust. 'That's why so many victims don't talk about it. 'Because it feels personal. It shakes something deeper than your bank balance. 'So here I am, not staying silent. 'Fraud can happen to anyone. Even me. Even you.' The Courier has taken a look at 11 interesting facts about Mike, who has grilled Apprentice hopefuls since 2010.
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Scots Apprentice star Mike Soutar duped in 'shameful' online gift card scam
The Dundee-born businessman was recently stung by crooks online. Scots Apprentice star Mike Soutar has admitted to being caught out in a "shameful" gift card scam. The Dundee-born businessman, known for his forensic interrogation of candidates on BBC's The Apprentice, was stung by crooks online. Writing about the con on LinkedIn, Mr Soutar told his followers that although he got his money back, he was left with an overwhelming sense of shame. The entrepreneur believed he was being emailed by Tim Allan CBE, who requested him to buy a £450 iTunes voucher. After attempting to contact the fellow businessman with no success, he quickly snapped up £150 worth of vouchers. But when his bank spotted a second transaction, it blocked the initial payment - sparking the star's scam concerns. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. He wrote online: "When Tim Allan CBE asks you to take on an assignment you snap to it. Not only is he my inspiring Chairman on the board of the V&A Museum in Scotland, he is also an ex-tank commander. "So when he emails a request for me to take on a 'special assignment' early on Saturday morning I am intrigued. Can you buy some vouchers for some of the members of the team to recognise their hard work over and above the call of duty?' "This is typical Tim. Brilliant at knowing the right time to make a personal gesture. And he's right: the team have been working overtime to put on an epic new Garden Design exhibition. "We exchange emails. Tim says he knows he can trust me to keep it all confidential. And then: "Can you get the vouchers in the next 20-30 minutes?' Erm, OK, I reply, but it'll have to be online. That's fine, he says: 'just get iTune gift cards, do £450-worth, send me the PINs and keep the cards in an envelope for me.' "He sounds a bit stressed and impatient so I try to call him. I get no answer but, pressed for time myself, I buy £150 of vouchers. "My credit card flags the second transaction and blocks it. I curse the overcautious fraud filter, and… oh hang on. I tap on Tim's name at the top of the email address. "It is not his email address. I message him. He phones me back. 'What's all this about vouchers?' Mr Soutar went on to warn his followers how crooks "don't prey on stupidity" but rather on timing, stress and distraction. He continued: "I've been scammed. And this is the part that stings. Not the money. (I get that back.) Not the perceived loss of face explaining it all to Tim. It's the sense of shame. "The stomach-punch to your self-worth. The voice in your head saying: 'You absolute mug, Mike. How did you fall for it?' "The irony is not lost on me. I'm the man who catches unwitting candidates out on The Apprentice! But scams don't prey on stupidity. They prey on timing. On stress. On distraction. They exploit trust. "That's why so many victims don't talk about it. Because it feels personal. It shakes something deeper than your bank balance. So here I am, not staying silent. " Fraud can happen to anyone. Even me. Even you." It comes as figures revealed Scots lost nearly £1m to cyber criminals in the last 12 months. The stats, from Advice Direct Scotland, showed how digital cons rocketed from only 94 in 2021/22 to 1,119 this year - an astonishing rise of 1,090 per cent. The national consumer advice service reported crooks using social media to target individuals, with scams soaring by 847 per cent in the last year - underscoring the vulnerability of users on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Email-based scams also rose sharply, climbing from 24 to 88 over the same period, while SMS scams plummeted by 75 per cent – down from 102 in 2021/22 to just 25 this year, as criminals switch tactics. Phone scams, meanwhile, remained steady, with 200 reported in 2021/22 and 202 this year. The financial impact of such cons reported to Advice Direct Scotland reached £861,384 over the past 12 months, with £338,758 lost in the past six months alone.
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Laura Anderson opens up on 'ageing' health battle as she attends specialist clinic for treatment
Love Island star Laura Anderson and footballer Clark Robertson have been enjoying their first holiday together as a couple Laura Anderson candidly shared her health struggles whilst on holiday with footballer boyfriend Clark Robertson. The former Love Island star is soaking up some sun with the Dundee-born sportsman on their first holiday after moving in together last week. The 36 year old recently uploaded snaps of their lavish getaway in the Maldives at the luxury Kandima beach resort. The couple now appear to be extending their break in Dubai, where Laura used to live and still has family. Taking to Instagram, many fans have noted how radiant the mum-of-one looks, however she's spoken up about her battle with melasma, a common skin condition in adults which can cause darkening of the skin caused by increased melanin. "Off to see my laser guru @rebeccatreston @ Please sort out my melasma I've missed you." She also asked her followers if they would like treatment recommendations or advice, if anyone may be suffering from a similar skin condition. "Do you suffer from pigmentation/melasma/sun spots?," she asked. "Okay guys I have been in the sun all day, always wear my factor 50 and my hat but I think with melasma you still get affected with just the heat so I always try and keep my face really cool. "That's a tip that I learnt, but I'm going to see Rebecca now but look," she gestured as she pointed her face towards the camera. "I don't know if you can see this all kind of multiplied again come back, this is me completely bare faced." She continued: "You can see it here there's definitely a difference between freckles. I love freckles, love to embrace them, but sun spots, melasma, pigmentation is different and can be quite ageing. "I quite like the little bits on my lips but I just want to remove that and Rebecca has all the best lasers in Dubai," as she gestured to her cheekbones. "She always teaches me things and has new techniques that I've never heard of before which are incredibly effective." The reality star added: "So we are going to go today with pico, really quick easy. I don't think there's any down time so yeah, let's get rid of this." Elsewhere, Laura took to Instagram last week following her house move in a gushing post over how lucky she is in her new home alongside daughter Bonnie, who she shares with ex Gary Lucy. She also gave a special mention to Clark, 31. "Busy and booked, The Man of my dreams and a daughter to die for. I never ever thought I'd have all 3," Laura wrote. Sharing snippets with her 1.5 million Instagram followers, Laura noted, "Here's to the next chapter," alongside a key and house emoji. She added: "And a huge shout out to @ssremovals for moving my life AGAIN! That Ikea wardrobe will officially never be assembled again I promise." The first clip showed the couple sharing a kiss in the expansive outdoor garden. Another video clip showed Laura holding daughter Bonnie as she stood at the front entrance of her new home with Clark. Fans got a glimpse of the new lavish home, which boasts grand floor to ceiling windows offering plenty of natural light, looking out onto the impressive garden. Bonnie even has her own play room, which Laura showed off to fans previously. Bonnie and her dog Buddy will certainly have no lack of space in the new home. The influencer was delighted to update fans that her dog was finally coming home, after being away from them for a few months when he didn't settle in her previous Glasgow flat.
Daily Record
19-05-2025
- Daily Record
Young Scot shot dead by teenager in US lay in pool of blood as pals tried to revive him
Horror details of the alleged brutal slaying of a Dundee man in the USA have emerged after his accused teen attacker was named for the first time. Schoolboy Jordan Fisher, 17, faces charges of gunning down Rory Swimm, 23, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He's also charged with the purchase, transfer, possession or use of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person. Prosecutors also allege Fisher was in possession of or using marijuana. Fisher is to be tried as an adult but wouldn't face the death penalty if convicted as he was just 15 at the time of Rory's death. One court legal document reportedly described the bloody scene stunned cops found when they were alerted to the incident on the night Rory died. It also tells how Rory's terrified pals tried to give him the kiss of life as he lay dying in the street. It stated: 'Upon his arrival, Officer Matteau observed three males on the ground, attempting to administer aid to a fourth, unresponsive male who was subsequently identified as R.S, 'Officer Matteau observed blood on the outside of R.S.'s shirt and located a gunshot wound on the right side of R.S.'s chest after removing his shirt.' Dr. Brent Davis, of the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office, said in a statement that the manner of the death would be ruled a homicide. According to reports Fisher's charging document said, 'Dr. Brent Davis further stated that the cause of death was a single gunshot wound to the chest.' Prosecutors also revealed one witness told detectives "he saw a white juvenile produce a firearm and shoot a single shot". Dundee-born Mr Swimm had been out drinking with friends in October 2023 when they became involved in a dispute in the early hours of the morning with three teenagers outside a convenience store. No blows had been exchanged between the two groups before Rory was shot through the heart. He died at the scene. A 9mm bullet casing was discovered around 30 metres from his body. It later emerged that the accused teenager had been given a handgun, which police found in a locked safe in his bedroom, as a gift by his grandfather. Police in Utah say that the murder weapon was another handgun which has not been traced. Prosecutors say that Swimm's death was 'a senseless random act of violence perpetrated against a group of complete strangers' and that it is necessary to try the teenager as an adult to protect the community. Rory's Glasgow-born mother Susan and his American father Robb have previously called for his death to lead to change in US gun laws. They said there was a culture of hatred among teenagers in the US, and that they needed to be educated to be kind. Susan also said the 2023 loss of 23-year-old Rory had devastated friends around the world. Rudy Bautista, the suspect's defence lawyer, previously told the BBC he was pleading not guilty to the murder charge. He said: "'He was defending himself from a violent attack by Mr Swimm. 'He was charging towards my client with a skateboard held above his head as if he was about to strike my client with it. "We will be arguing that my client was defending himself and is entitled to an acquittal.
The Courier
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Dundee-born director Michael Keillor on new BBC Lockerbie drama
Michael Keillor has vivid memories of the Lockerbie bombing. The Dundee-born film director, then a 15-year-old pupil at Monifieth High School, was on his way to Austria for a ski trip with his classmates on the night of the terrorist attack. 'We had to drive down the east coast of Scotland rather than the west coast to get to Luton Airport,' he recalls. 'And we drove past the scene [on the way home] just a few days after.' Michael adds: 'Looking back, it was such a big event in my life. It was such a shock. 'These were things you saw in the news all over the world, but to happen in Scotland was a huge thing.' On 21 December 1988, flight Pan Am 103 was en route from Heathrow to JFK when a bomb exploded in its hold over Lockerbie, killing 270 people, including 43 British citizens and 190 Americans. It was the worst ever terror attack on British soil and the first major act of terrorism against US citizens. Michael, whose shows include Roadkill, Chimerica and Line of Duty, has wanted to share the story on the big screen for many years. So his latest project – the forthcoming factual drama The Bombing of Pan Am 103 – is something of a milestone. The six-part BBC series, co-produced with Netflix, is based on the bombing of a passenger flight and the quest to bring its perpetrators to justice. Michael, who directed his first show in 2004, is known for his bold and ambitious projects which push boundaries. The 51-year-old, who lives between Angus and London, has been working on The Bombing of Pan Am 103 'non-stop' for two years. Speaking to me on the phone from the capital, he tells me he was asked to direct the series, written by Jonathan Lee, by the BBC in 2023. 'Once it came to me there's no way I couldn't do it, because it's such a big Scottish story, and I'm always pushing to tell the most relevant Scottish stories I can,' he says. Not only is the show – filmed in three countries over 19 weeks in spring 2024 – Michael's biggest project yet, it is also one of BBC Scotland's largest-ever productions. The team shot 15 weeks in Scotland, two weeks in Malta (where the story goes to) and two weeks in Canada (which is used as a replacement for Washington DC, where the FBI were based). Michael says: 'There's only certain people who would be able to do it, just because of the logistics of it. 'This is a complex thing, so I'm kind of lucky enough to be at that stage of my career, and it's nice to be asked.' Filming in Scotland took place in Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Livingston and Bathgate, all picked for their '1980s and 70s feel'. When it came to casting, Michael was keen to recruit a 'good cross-section of Scottish people', with the likes of Tony Curran and Peter Mullan cast in police officer roles. Big stars included Connor Swindells from Sex Education and Patrick J. Adams, well-known from American TV drama Suits. It's clear Michael felt a great deal of responsibility to honour the victims and tell their story as truthfully as possible. It's one reason he liaised with their families before filming took place, including at a town hall meeting in Lockerbie. He says: 'The idea was to get everyone on board as early as possible. '[The families] gave us an authenticity as well, because they often came to us with stories and facts that weren't written down anywhere.' He adds: 'Most of the families that we work with have seen it already, and were happy.' On a more practical level, the toughest challenge he faced was dealing with the 'sh*t' Scottish weather. The blustery conditions made shooting the aftermath of the crash – 'a street on fire at night for three or four days with hundreds of crew, hundreds of extras and multiple cameras' – even hairier than you might imagine. Michael, who bought his home near Carnoustie shortly before he took on The Bombing of Pan Am 103, is now ready for a period of reflection. He says: 'Right now, my plan is to come to Scotland and work in the house, sit on the beach and walk the dog. 'I don't know what's next, but [The Bombing of Pan Am 103] has certainly inspired me to work more in Scotland and find more stories to tell up here. 'London can be quite intense and quite work-focused, so it's nice to spend time at home. 'Also, I like being in Scotland – Scottish culture has always been quite inspiring. 'If you are looking for stories, then it's always nice to be nearby to see what's going on.' It turns out Michael is a fan of flipping through The Courier for ideas as well. Laughing, he says: 'There is always something crazy happening in Dundee!' The move north also means being closer to family, with his mum, his sister and her four children all in Broughty Ferry. But it is a big change for Michael, who relocated to London after graduating from Dundee University with a law degree in his early twenties. 'When I first started out, you had to do everything in London,' he says. 'But more and more, a lot more that's remote, and a lot of the filming isn't in London as well. 'So it kind of matters less where you live so much. 'Still – the creative nerve centre is London.' But the Scottish film industry is on a better footing these days, he says. 'There was nothing like The Bombing of Pan Am 103 being shot when I was just entering the film industry,' he says. 'The film industry in Scotland was much smaller, so there weren't opportunities to work on these big productions. 'It was exciting for me now to have all the runners and assistants and juniors able to work on a big show like this. 'They'll be the filmmakers of the future coming through. 'So maybe, they won't have to go to London to further their careers.' Dundee has also enjoyed a 'cultural shift' since his student days. While Michael was inspired to carve out a career in film after watching movies at The Steps Theatre in the Wellgate Centre (Trainspotting and Charlotte Gray opened his eyes to the fact that movies could be made in Scotland), the Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre (DCA) opened up after he graduated. 'It was a huge thing when that opened up,' Michael says. 'That sense of having art right in the Perth Road – and that it was okay to watch cool films – was massive.' He adds: 'And of course, the V&A opening as well, I think has just added to that. 'It's given Dundee a cultural renaissance. 'Having been away for a long time and coming back – I just feel like Dundee is culturally alive again.' Brian Cox's return to Dundee Rep in July to star in Make it Happen is further evidence of this. But like most of us, Michael wasn't able to get his hands on tickets for the sold-out show. He says: 'The fact that James Graham, who is a massive playwright and big TV writer, would launch a play in Dundee – that is a big thing. 'That is exciting. 'So it's nice to be around all that as well'.
