Scams Awareness Month 2008
February is 'Scams Awareness Month', launched to raise awareness of mass marketed scams, which cost the UK public £3.5billion a year.
Every year an estimated three million UK consumers fall victim to scams sent by post, email, text, the phone and internet.
One of the main themes of this year's campaign is to highlight the hidden misery of thousands of elderly and vulnerable consumers who repeatedly fall victim to scams such as bogus lotteries, deceptive prize draws and sweepstakes, fake psychics and 'miracle' health cures.
Anyone can fall for a scam but the elderly are often hit hardest. Research shows that older victims are likely to lose nearly twice as much per scam as others.
|
|
Victims are often socially isolated, over-trusting or afflicted by illnesses such as dementia and can be repeatedly targeted by the scammers. Many lose their life savings and suffer depression and ill health as a result.
In the new edition of Warwickshire Trading Standards 'Bogus Bugle' (issue 3), Trading Standards Officers describe what scams to look out for, and how to spot a potentially at risk individual.
A new leaflet for carers and care professionals, 'Can you stop the person you care for from being scammed?' and an accompanying leaflet, 'Don't Let them Con You' have alos been produced by the OFT.
Scammers use sophisticated psychological techniques to target people who are often the most vulnerable in society. Those who fall for these scams not only lose their savings, but often live in fear, suffering debt and depression and being too afraid to tell anyone of their plight. We want to ask family members, carers and others to help spot the warning signs before it is too late.
Mass marketing scams take many forms, including:
Full range of consumer scams
Report a scam
Shield your personal details from genuine companies and fraudsters
Stop unwanted sales phone calls, faxes and junk mail
|