Published on:
25
January 2016
Clackmannanshire Council's Trading Standards Service is urging local residents and small businesses to be aware of being targeted by scammers.
Scams come in many different forms and guises, mass marketing scams include fake lotteries, prize draws, bogus psychic predictions and miracle health or beauty products. These usually come in the form of unsolicited letters, emails or telephone calls. In the worst cases, victims, typically the elderly or vulnerable can become chronically involved, constantly sending off money for false fees or charges. In some cases victims will be asked by the criminals to transfer money abroad to someone they don't know.
Small businesses can also be targets for scammers who send in documentation which appears to come from an official source requesting that they confirm their name/address details. Invoices are then generated for entries in business registers and online directories.
More recently, consumers have been targeted by scammers telephoning claiming to be from their bank indicating that their bank account has been compromised and requesting that they transfer funds to a new account. If a consumer provides privileged information, the scammers are then able to empty their bank account of all funds.
Trading Standards advise consumers and businesses not to divulge personal information over the telephone and to remember the following tips:
- Stop, think and be sceptical. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
- Do not be rushed into sending money off to someone you do not know, however plausible they might seem.
- Ask yourself how likely is it that you have been chosen for this particular offer -thousands of people will probably have received the same thing.
- Think about how much money you could lose from replying to a potential scam - it's not a gamble worth taking.
Cllr Donald Balsillie, Convener of Enterprise & Environment said: "We are all at risk of being taken in by these often very sophisticated criminal scammers. If you are unsure of any offer and whether it's genuine, please seek advice from Trading Standards before sending off any money or providing any banking or credit card details.
"Trading Standards is keen to receive as much information as possible on scams which affect local residents so that they can work with partner agencies to trace those involved and stop the scammers."
If you suspect you have been a victim of a scam or want to talk to a member of the Trading Standards team in confidence please phone 01786 443322 or email tradingstandards@clacks.gov.uk