Walsall Trading Standards support national 'Scamnesty' initiative
Date Published : 08 February 2010
Scammers who target residents to part with their cash will come under the spotlight with the launch of a special campaign this month, February 2010.
'2010 Scams Awareness Month' is a national campaign launched by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and is being backed by Walsall Trading Standards.
New research from the OFT reveals that scammers are using 'full scale' tactics to manipulate consumers to part with their cash with scams arriving by post, email, text, phone and the internet.
Around one in 11 adults (4 million people) say they have responded to a scam at some point in their life, of whom nearly a third lost money.
Around half (49pc) of those scammed have lost more than £50 in total, with five per cent losing more than £5,000. 73 per cent of scams are received by email, 21 per cent are contacted by letter and 12 per cent via text.
This year’s Scams Awareness Month is seeking to raise awareness of the scale of the problem with a nationwide 'Scamnesty' run in partnership with 129 local authority Trading Standards Services.
Locally, Walsall Trading Standards is calling on residents to forward scam mailings to them. These can be dropped into their main offices at the Challenge Building in Hatherton Road in Walsall, at the First Stop Shop in the Civic Centre or be handed to council staff when the First Stop Express visits the various venues across the borough.
Councillor Garry Perry, cabinet member for safer stronger communities for Walsall Council said: "I'm pleased that our Trading Standards team are supporting this initiative.
"Scammers are using ever more sophisticated and cunning tactics to dupe people out their cash. It really is important that our residents are on their guard. Scams can bring real upset and misery to their victims.
"With public support for the Scamnesty, trading standards officers and the Office of Fair Trading will be able to continue this fight and investigate scams which attempt to trick people to hand over their money."
Some simple tips are being offered to ward off potential scammers:
- Stop think and be sceptical. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is
- Don't be rushed into sending off money to someone you don't know, no matter how plausible they may sound
- Ask yourself how likely it is that you have been especially chosen for this offer. Thousands of other people will probably have received the offer.
- Think about how much money you could lose from replying to a potential scam. It's not a gamble worth taking
- If you're unsure about an offer, talk to family or friends and seek advice from Consumer Direct before sending any money or giving out bank or credit card details.
To find out more please call Consumer Direct on 08454 040506.