Closing The Net On Scammers

range from unsolicited letters, phone calls and emails, all of which have the aim of conning victims out of their cash. It is reported that in the UK alone, consumers lose around £3.5 billion to scams each year.

Scamnesty 2010 calls on the people of West Dunbartonshire to help fight back against these fraudsters by dropping their scam mailings into one of the Trading Standards Scamnesty bins.  The bins will be located in your local library, sports centre and council building from the 1^st -26^th February. Trading Standards will use the information to identify the types of scams being targeted at our residents. This valuable new intelligence will help Trading Standards plan more effective campaigns to prevent other consumers from being scammed. It will also help identify scams worthy of further investigation and enforcement action.

Last year more than 15,000 scam mailings were dropped into bins across the country.  The campaign revealed the top five mass-marketed scams were deceptive sweepstakes, misleading prize draws, fake clairvoyants/psychics, bogus foreign lotteries and ‘Miracle’ health cures.

The most common scam reported within West Dunbartonshire is bogus foreign lotteries contributing to the 140,000 of consumers who fall victim to this type of scam each year in the UK. Bogus foreign lottery scams are carried out via the post, telephone or email. The consumer usually receives either a phone call or letter telling them they have won a major cash prize in an overseas lottery.  They will often be told to telephone a sales agent who will ask the victim to send money to cover administration, customs and tax costs.  The winnings do not exist and are never received by the victim. Foreign lottery scams are costing the UK public an estimated £20 million pounds each year, a figure Trading Standards are looking to reduce.

Councillor Craig McLaughlin said:  “Many people feel they could never be scammed but people of any age can fall into the trap. Unfortunately the vulnerable and elderly are targeted most. Those who do fall victim to these scams can lose their life savings and possibly end up in debt. Trading Standards advise anyone who receives a possible scam offer to ‘Stop, think, and think again’. How likely is it that you have been specially chosen for this offer? If it sounds too good to be true then it almost certainly is. If you are unsure read the offer again carefully and speak to family and friends or seek advice to avoid becoming the scammers next victim.”