Scam Awareness Month 2013 | How to Spot and Report Scams

Scam Awareness Month

May 2013 is Scam Awareness Month, a national campaign to raise the awareness of the various ways that you can be tricked and conned out of your money.

Citizen's Advice say; "Every year over three million people in the UK fall victim to scams losing hundreds and even thousands of pounds. It is estimated that nearly half of people in the UK (48 per cent) have been targeted by a scam and that £3.5 billion is lost to scams every year."

Scams can take various forms from phone calls, posted mail, email and text messages to door knockers and fake salespeople. Below are 3 common scams and how to spot them.

Door Crime and Bogus Tradesman

A knock on the door leads to a salesperson or tradesman offering to carry out a repair on 'unsafe' roof tiles or pave your patio, they then demand money upfront and that's the last you ever see of them. Sometimes the caller is a real tradesman but they use illegal selling techniques such as high pressure sales to persuade you to sign up for something you don't really want or need, or could have done much cheaper. 

Another type of doorstep crime is where the person uses the pretence of selling you something or doing repairs on your home to gain access and then steal from you.

How to spot this type of scam

Was the knock at your door unsolicited? Are you being asked to make a decision quickly or are they demanding money upfront. Are they reluctant to give you any contact details for the business?    

How to deal with this type of scam

If someone knocks at your door do not invite them inside. If the tradesman suggests that you have an unsafe roof or need new damp proofing  always get a second opinion and do not employ door knockers.   

if you live in West Yorkshire then CASAC Check Point operates to protect householders from bogus and “cowboy” tradespeople by providing a recommended, local and reliable tradesman when you need home repairs, maintenance or improvements carried out, call 0845 838 8851.

Prize Scam 

Congratulations! You've just won £100,000 / an all-expenses holiday to the Maldives - This scam is usually in the form of a phone call, text message or letter through your door in which you are informed that you have won a fantastic prize or even a huge lottery win, the problem is you never actually entered the competition in the first place.

How to spot this type of scam 
Did you actually buy a ticket or enter a competition? Quite simply, if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. If you have to call a premium rate number or pay an administration fee to process your prize then this is a scam and should be reported.

How to deal with this type of scam

If you receive a text message block the phone number and forward the text message and the original number it came from to one of the following numbers: For Orange, Vodafone, O2, and T-Mobile: 7726, for Three: 37726. If it is a piece of mail, shred the letter and put it in the bin. If you are in any doubt as to whether it is a scam then ask friends and family for advice.  

PPI Refunds

You receive a text message or phone call from a number you don't recognise informing you that you are owed  money due to mis-sold PPI (Payment Protection Insurance but you must pay an administration fee before the refund can be processed.

How to spot this type of scam

Did the text message or phone call come from a number you don't recognise, are they asking you to reply for information or to have a pack sent out or to find out how much you are entitled to? If so then this is likely to be a scam message.

How to deal with this type of scam
Don't text the number back even to say STOP as sometimes this can lead to you being charged a premium rate text message fee. Instead  block the phone number and forward the text message and the original number it came from to one of the following numbers:  For Orange, Vodafone, O2, and T-Mobile: 7726, for Three: 37726.

Reporting Scams

If you think you or someone you know such as an elderly relative may have been the victim of a scam here are some ways to report it:

Action Fraud 0300 123 2040

Trading Standards 08454 04 05 06

The Police, using non-emergency number 101.