Steve Bullman

The internet is rife with scams, some laughably obvious, while others manage to slip through the cracks — even for the most tech-savvy among us. The latest scam to surface has indirectly involved Arbtalk Media, with scammers creating a fake Gmail account ([email protected]) and impersonating a well-known influencer and Husqvarna ambassador, Kimberley Both. 🎯 The Scam A victim was approached on Facebook by what appeared to be Kimberley Both, but was in fact a cloned account designed to gain trust. After moving the conversation to WhatsApp, the scammer introduced a third party, claiming they could assist in relocating the victim from Australia to Europe for work. The victim was asked to provide personal details, including a CV and passport-style photos, before being informed that a $1050 fee was required to begin the necessary paperwork. The email requesting payment came from [email protected], which raised suspicion and prompted the victim to contact me directly. Thankfully, the victim reached out before parting with any money, and I was able to confirm the scam. 🛑 Kimberley Both Had No Involvement It is important to stress that Kimberley Both had no knowledge or involvement in this scam and is also a victim in this situation. The scammers used her name and reputation to gain the victim's trust. In this case, there were three victims: The individual targeted by the scam Myself, Arbtalk Media, whose name was used in the fake email address Kimberley Both, whose identity was impersonated 🔍 How to Stay Vigilant Social media scams using well-known faces are becoming increasingly common, with cloned accounts targeting even small influencers. In this case, Kimberley reported the fake account to Facebook multiple times, yet no action has been taken. 🚩 Red Flags to Watch For ✅ Check for the verified blue tick on larger accounts. Scammers often place a fake blue tick in the profile picture to trick people. ✅ Carefully check email addresses in any correspondence. For Arbtalk, all official emails will come from @arbtalk.co.uk or @arbtalkmedia.co.uk. ✅ If in doubt, do what this victim did — contact the company directly. 🚫 Don't Become the Next Victim Scammers are becoming more sophisticated, and their tactics are evolving. Stay alert and report any suspicious accounts or communications immediately. If you have any concerns, feel free to reach out to us directly at [email protected]. 🔔 Please share this warning to help prevent others from falling victim to this scam.

2024 saw a number of new additions to the team at Ashridge Golf Club. Together with a new Course Manager in the form of George Little, just two months later was the arrival of a ChipMaster 220 TMP (CM220TMP) woodchipper from GreenMech. Purchased to keep on top of routine woodland maintenance, it’s delivery in September was incredibly timely as - set among thousands of acres of National Trust-owned woodland – the team braced for the impacts of a wet and blustery winter season. Heading up a team of 10, George joined Ashridge in July following seven years spent at the nearby Dunstable Downs Golf Club. One of the main responsibilities of his new role was to take charge of the heavy woodland, lending itself to the popular tree-lined 18-hole course. “The team would be keeping on top of routine pruning and general removal of old or unsightly branches but, without our own chipper, would stack these up in piles awaiting the availability of a hire machine” George explains. “To stop these backlogs the club decided to invest in our own woodchipper and opted for the CM220TMP from GreenMech.” Promising maximum chipping output with minimal investment, the CM220TMP is driven by the PTO shaft and uses its own hydraulic oil to power the rollers. It combines a large 9” capacity with a small, light footprint – something that’s incredibly important for George. “We’re always conscious of avoiding traffic on particularly sensitive areas, so rather than loading brash and timber into trailers and transporting it, we can now take the GreenMech to the exact location and chip. Reducing the risk of damage, it also speeds up the process by 300%.” “We knew the machine would be helpful, but in a few short months we’ve used it a lot more than we thought we would to the point that I’d go as far as to say we now couldn’t live without it!” Alongside routine pruning of the boundaries, which George says it’s been brilliant for, the CM220TMP also came to the rescue of a number of silver birch that fell victim to the winter storms. “Again, we had the ability to hook up the chipper and take it exactly where it was needed, to quickly and easily deal with the damage.” “It has definitely impressed us and has undoubtedly brought improved productivity to our woodland work.” He adds, “We’ve also had a good experience with dealers Avant South East Limited and GreenMech’s Neal Hussey who delivered a thorough induction and has been on hand to help us with any questions. It’s, overall, been a very positive addition to the fleet.”