TweetRumours: Charity scammers FollowMeRecord change name

Hat tip to @CelebFakeOuts and @DaveGorman for alerting me to the fact that @FollowMeRecord (see: Follow me Record : Another Children in Need Twitter Scam?) had changed their name to @TweetRumours

This I think is reasonable evidence that FollowMeRecord was indeed a scam. Before changing their account name they never tweeted, as they had promised, an update on their fundraising activities. Instead they removed their Pudsey Bear Avatar and their last tweet, as cached by Google, was:-

Perhaps they thought no one would notice the change of name but having changed it and it being noticed they now appear to have vanished. Perhaps further questioning of their activities by Dave Gorman tonight made them decide to change name again or delete the account (like we previously witnessed FollowersInNeed do). Perhaps Twitter suspended the account. Different tweeps were getting different messages tonight some suggesting suspension others suggesting that the name simply no longer existed. Hopefully, however, the account has been deleted or suspended and will not survive in some other shape, form or fashion.

Dave Gorman has tonight updated his blog post on 'Beware of Twitter Scams':-

"FollowMeRecord have recently changed their name to @TweetRumours. When they were called FollowMeRecord they exchanged private messages with me and one of them - Harry - gave me his mobile phone number. He said something like "if you think we're fraudulent you can publish it if you like" and he said something similar in his blog post here. FollowMeRecord were based in Leeds whereas TweetRumours is claiming to be in Southampton.

I called Harry. I said, "Hello..." and he put the phone down.

It all sort of suggests that they were lying in the first place or that maybe it went a bit pear shaped. But TweetRumours definitely doesn't feel like the work of 3 adults. I don't think I'll publish his number. I might well pass it to the police though."