Following on from work for National Scams Awareness Month, Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Trading Standards team is issuing advice to local people on how to avoid becoming victims of fraudsters.
During July, the Council’s Trading Standards team and the Police launched a No Cold Calling Zone at Hillside Road, Oldfield Park to help protect elderly and vulnerable residents in Bath from being targeted by rogue doorstep traders and distraction burglaries.
Plans are also underway for another No Cold Calling Zone at Highfield Close, Twerton.
This month the Trading Standards team has also visited a number of scam victims to offer advice on how to avoid scams in future and fitted call blockers for a number of victims in order to prevent them being scammed in the future.
Cllr Martin Veal (Conservative, Bathavon North) Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: “We’re keen to ensure that no-one is conned out of their hard-earned cash by unscrupulous criminals.
“Scams can include fake lottery win letters; online scams involving the purchase of tickets for an event where it turns out that the tickets do not exist; telephone callers asking for people’s bank account details; and doorstep scams – rogue tradesmen offering repairs or ‘improvements’ that you don’t need or want.”
The National Trading Standards Scams Team (NTS Scams Team) has issued a warning about the amount of scam mail being sent to the UK from abroad.
They have prevented nearly 750,000 pieces of scam mail – such as fake prize draws and clairvoyant scams – from reaching the letter boxes of households around the country in the last three months.
Advice from Trading Standards includes:
It could be a scam if:
- They are asking for money in advance;
- The call, letter, e-mail or text has come out of the blue;
- Asking for a respond quickly so you don’t have time to talk about it with friends and family;
- Asking you to keep it a secret;
- Offering ‘Miracle’ health cures.
Types of scams include:
- Lottery and prize draw scams;
- Clairvoyant scams;
- Catalogue and Brochure scams;
- Computer Software Service Fraud involves victims being contacted by telephone and told that there is a problem with their computer and for a fee this can be fixed.
Solutions:
- Speak to family or friends;
- Sign up to the Mail and Telephone Preference Service. The MPS registration contact number is 0845 703 4599 and the TPS registration contact number is 0345 070 0707.
- If you think you’ve already responded to a scam, end all further communication immediately.
- Call your bank and cancel any recurring payments.
- Speak with Citizens Advice consumer helpline 03454 04 05 06 (Trading Standards will also be referred a copy of the complaint)
- Report the scam to Action Fraud 0300 123 2040.
More information about Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Trading Standards can be found at http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/trading-standards or should you require consumer or business advice, contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 040506.
