May 2014 is scams awareness month. Every year millions of people lose money through scams. We are all potential targets for the criminals who might try to scam us. This simple checklist will help you protect yourself and fight back against the scammers. It is likely to be a scam if: - The call, letter, email or text has come out of the blue. - You’ve never heard of the lottery or competition they are talking about. - You didn’t buy a ticket – so you can’t win it! - They are asking you to send money in advance. - They are telling you to respond quickly so you don’t get time to think about it or ask family and friends before you decide. - They are telling you to keep it a secret. - They seem to be offering you something for nothing. - If it seems too good to be true – it probably is! How can I protect myself better? - Never give out contact details like your name, phone number or address to strangers or to people who should have this information already. - Never give financial information or details of your identity, bank accounts or credit card to strangers or to the businesses that already hold your details. - Shred anything with your personal or bank details on – don’t just throw it away. What should I do if they contact me? - Phone the Citizens Advice consumer service on 08454 04 05 06 for advice (typetalk: 18001 08454 04 05 060. What can I do to stop scams? - Contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or visit actionfraud.police.uk/contact-us - Phone the Citizens Advice consumer service on 08454 04 05 06. They can pass scam details on to Trading Standards.
Posted on: Thu, 01 May 2014 08:57:38 +0000
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