Vale Council in campaign to get Smart Against Scammers -
16/02/07
Vale of Glamorgan Council Trading Standards is supporting this
year's scam awareness month launched by The Office of Fair
Trading.
The event aims to highlight the techniques used by scammers to
con UK consumers out of £3.5 billion per year and give consumers
the knowledge and skills they need to recognise, report and stamp
out mass market scams.
Highlights of the campaign include regional radio adverts and
roadshows.
There will also be a major campaign surrounding lottery and
prize draw scams directly affecting Welsh residents.
Recent research by the OFT revealed that every year one in 15
people (3.2 million adults) fall victim to scams across the UK. The
average amount lost per scam is £850.
Welsh residents make up 9% of all UK scam victims.
Head of Scambusters at the OFT Mike Haley says: "Scammers are
finding more ruthless and sophisticated ways to con the public of
money by preying on their hopes and fears. This campaign is an
attempt to get smart against the scammers who are ruining
residents' lives in Wales.
"Scams affect not only individual victims but their families and
communities, and can lead to debt, depression and health problems.
Though anybody can be conned, it is always the most vulnerable who
end up suffering the most."
Vale Principal Trading Standards Officer Simon Wilkinson said:
"The most prevalent scams affecting Vale residents are fake
lotteries and prize draws. Trading standards officers' advice is to
be sceptical - if the offer is too good to be true, it probably
is."
Other scams are:
- pyramid selling and free gift schemes
- working from home schemes
- online dating
- investment opportunities / shares
- miracle health cures
- phishing scams
If you feel you have been a victim of a scam, please contact
Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06; your local Trading Standards
Office also has advice leaflets which give more detailed advice on
the various scams and how to beat them.