Published on:
02
May 2014
Council trading standards are warning people in Clackmannanshire to be aware of scammers who may be preying on residents struggling to make ends meet.
Scams Awareness Month take place during May, and Clackmannanshire and Stirling Councils Joint Trading Standards Service is urging people to "fight back against the fraudsters".
Nationally it has been calculated that up to four million people could be scammed each year as many scams go unreported.
People are just as likely to be conned over the phone and via text messages as they are through emails and websites. New analysis reveals:
- Over a third of scams (34%) were over the phone.
- Almost a quarter of scams (24%) were through visits to a web site.
- 16% were letter or fax scams.
- One in ten scams (10%) were through emails.
Trading Standards Service is warning that people should watch out for non-secure websites that ask for financial details. It's important that people realise scammers are also at the end of the phone and on your doorstep.
Counterfeit cashier cheques, fraudulent lenders offering loans to get hold of personal details, dating scams, ticket cons and computer hacking were amongst commonly reported scams. Online shopping and auction fraud was the biggest single fraud type with almost 40,000 recorded cases.
Convener Donald Balsillie said "Recently we contacted over two hundred local residents who were identified as being on lists used by scammers to send residents personalised mailings with a view to tricking them into disclosing information such as bank details, sending cash or making money transfers.
"Trading Standards is working with colleagues throughout the Council and with partners to reduce the harm to local residents. Our advice would be that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is."
Trading Standards Institute (TSI) chief executive, Leon Livermore, said:
"Trading Standards are on the frontline when it comes to protecting vulnerable people from these scams. Their work makes it tough for scammers to get through to the country's most vulnerable.
"Scams Awareness Month gives Trading Standards and partners like Citizens Advice the opportunity to reach out to those most at risk from scammers, and educate them and members of the community as to how to avoid falling victim to these insidious schemes."
Citizens Advice Chief Executive, Gillian Guy, said: "Scammers are picking the pockets of millions of innocent people. Pensioners and hard-up households face invasion through their computers, phones, letterboxes, and on the doorstep.
"People who are already struggling to put food on the table, let alone save money day-to-day, are being fleeced of their hard-earned cash. It is disgraceful that scammers are often targeting elderly people with sophisticated scams such as posing as their bank or phone company. We are running Scams Awareness Month to encourage people to fight back against the fraudsters pushing their cons into the nation's homes by reporting those scams."
Top tips for dealing with scams
- If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.
- Never give out your bank details or send money unless you are certain you can trust the person contacting you.
- Contacted out of the blue? Be suspicious.
- Your bank and the police will never collect your bank card, ask for your PIN or come to your home.
- Make sure the website's secure, if you are buying online - check for the padlock or "https" next to the web address
- It you haven't bought a ticket you can't win it.
- You shouldn't have to pay anything to get a prize.
- Pressure to make a decision straight away? Take your time and just say: "No thank you".
- Walk away from job ads that ask for money in advance.
- Computer firms do not make unsolicited phone calls to help you fix your computer.
- Don't suffer in silence - tell others about scams.
What to do if you have been scammed
- Report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 to help stop it happening to others.
- Often you can't get your money back if you've been scammed, especially if you've handed over cash.
- If you've paid for goods or services by credit card you have more protection and if you used a debit card you may be able to ask your bank for a chargeback.
- Get advice and report scams to Trading Standards on 01786 443322 or email tradingstandards@stirling.gov.uk
Scams to watch out for
. Online shopping and auction scams - internet shoppers get lured into buying phantom cars, mobile phones, pets or anything else you can buy online. Scammers use a range of tricks including bogus websites, spoofed payment services and a nasty new variation called "second chance offers" tempting losing bidders with bogus opportunities. Online property market places are also infiltrated by scammers harvesting legitimate property details and posing as landlords.
. Lender loan fraud - some scammers pose as payday lenders or credit brokers and after they have obtained someone's details they pass these on, or take out sums without the person's knowledge or consent.
. Online dating scams - con artists groom victims into long-distance relationships using emails, instant messaging, texting and phone calls. Once they are confident of the victim's trust, scammers will tell them about a problem they are experiencing and ask for financial help.
. Software scams - fraudsters often use the names of well-known companies to commit their crime as it gives a mask of legitimacy to their cruel schemes. Methods include asking for credit card details to "validate" copies of operating systems, stealing personal information, and installing malware before charging to remove it.
. Courier scams (a form of vishing) - where people receive unsolicited telephone calls from scammers posing as police or their bank warning of a fraudulent payment on their card or that their card is due to expire. The fraudster will then attend the person's address or send an innocent courier company driver to collect the card and sometimes provide them with a "replacement" fake card.