Drop the ‘scamsters’ in it!

This February Leicestershire Trading Standards is joining the Office of Fair Trading’s (OFT) nationwide ‘Scamnesty’ campaign to help end the scourge of mass marketed scam mailings in the UK.
Nearly half of the UK adult population has been targeted by a scam. Every year, 3.2 million adults – one in 15 people – across the country fall victim to a scam involving deceptive unsolicited mailings, phone calls, or emails, which are designed to con victims out of their cash. UK consumers lose around a staggering £3.5 billion to scams every year.  However, less than 5 per cent of scam victims report their experience.
 ‘Scamnesty 2010’ ask Leicestershire people to help the fight back against the fraudsters by dropping any scam mailings they receive into designated ‘Scamnesty’ bins that are to be found in the County’s Libraries.
Last year Leicestershire people handed in about 10% of the total collected nationally.  As a result of this scams a number of investigations into alleged scam mailers have been carried out.
Consumers should follow these tips to avoid being conned:
Consider why you should have to pay to receive a ‘prize’

• Be aware that if you do respond your details will be passed around as someone who is likely to pay up for a non existent prize, so you will receive more scam prize letters
• Remember that though it probably has your name on it thousands of other people are very likely to have received the exactly the same offer.
• If you read the offer carefully, you may well find that the wording makes it seem that you have won – when this is not the case.
• If you are unsure, speak to family or friends or seek advice.

If you think you have been the victim of a scam, or you suspect a scam, telephone Consumer Direct for clear, practical advice on 08454 04 05 06 or visit www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/scamnesty
Consumers can report all types of scam at https://secure.consumerdirect.gov.uk/reportascam.aspx on the Consumer Direct website. During Scamnesty month (February 2010), they can also report online scams to the ‘virtual bin’ on the Consumer Direct website.