Be aware – it’s National Scams Awareness Month

From our first purchase to our last, scammers are waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting, the vulnerable, the shopper short of time, the consumer looking for the bargain.

This month is National Scams Awareness Month and Citizens Advice and the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, local Citizens Advice and trading standards offices, are sending out strong ‘beware of being scammed’ messages.

Scams come in all shapes and sizes – from the rogue trader charging for unwanted and badly done driveways to the fake and potentially life threatening products bought online.

Throw into that mix email scams with non-existent lottery wins that demand payment up front, and are followed up by an endless stream of more and more threatening scam mail, and investment opportunities that are based on thin air and can rob someone of their life savings, and the picture becomes grim.

Research has shown that 45-60 year olds are most affected, and by a wide range of scams, often losing large amounts of money. But there is also a disturbing rise in the number of 18-24 year-olds being scammed – and this is the group least likely to report a scam.

The message of this year's Scams Awareness Month is 'Play your part, act on scams'. We are calling on the public to be more aware of how they could be scammed, and to report it if they get caught out. With so many vulnerable people being snagged by scammers there is no reason to be embarrassed – and every reason to report incidents and help the authorities put a stop to it.

In Bury, information packs containing leaflets and posters have been distributed to eight libraries in the borough to raise awareness among consumers.

Angela Lomax, head of trading standards and licensing at Bury Council, said: “Scams are still a large issue for many consumers, and can lead to large financial losses and affect people’s mental well-being.

“Techniques are getting more sophisticated in order to trick people. Methods used change regularly, and sometimes it’s hard to know if something is a scam or not. If you are at all suspicious, please seek help by calling the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 03454 04 05 06.”

Councillor Judith Kelly, cabinet member for corporate affairs and regulatory services, said: "Too many people are suffering from being scammed in silence and criminals getting away with their money – in some cases to the point where the victim needs to sell their own home to pay them off.This campaign to raise awareness is vital – and we want people to not only report on being scammed but to look out for each other."

Know of a scam, or being scammed? Be ‘scam aware’ and call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 04 05 06.

ENDS

Press release issued: 3 July 2017.

Note to editors:

Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)

CTSI is a training and membership group that has represented the interests of the Trading Standards profession since 1881 nationally and internationally.We aim to raise the profile of the profession while working towards fairer, better informed and safer consumer and business communities.

CTSI’s members are engaged in delivering frontline trading standards services in local authorities and in businesses. www.tradingstandards.uk