Victims of scams have parted with ‘thousands

Carmarthenshire’s Trading Standards have begun visiting almost 600 people whose names have been found on a ‘suckers list’ used by scammers.

Their names have been picked up through a National Scams Hub, which Carmarthenshire County Council has signed up to.

Their first visits are in Ammanford, and so far, officers have spoken to a number of people who have parted with money ranging from a few hundred pounds to thousands, mainly through scam mail.

Quita Davies, Trading Standards Officer, said: “Quite often, people are either unaware that they are a victim, or are too embarrassed to admit that they may have fallen for a scam.

“Through intelligence gathered via the National Scams Hub we have been able to make proactive visits to many people, offer them support and protect them from these criminals.”

Trading Standards have linked up with Dyfed Powys Police, and Barclays Bank Ammanford Branch, who are helping identify victims and handing out scam information to customers.

Cllr Jim Jones, Executive Board Member for Public Protection, said: “Anyone can fall foul of a scam – most of them are very convincing and designed to fool innocent people.

“By making these proactive visits, we’re stopping scams in their tracks and protecting families from their devastating effects.

“We’d like to thank Barclays and our colleagues in the police for their support. We are hoping this will be the first of many banks to work with us on this initiative in the future.”

Do you think you, or a member of your family has been scammed, or concerned that you may be on a ‘suckers list’? Typical telltale signs include large amounts of mail being received daily.

You may notice a member of your family is sending lots of cheques or postal orders, or their telephone bills may be unusually high with premium rate numbers showing on their bills.

Many people may become convinced that they have won a prize, even though it may seem too good to be true.

If you are concerned about scams or believe you or someone you know may be a victim, report the matter to Citizens Advice Consumer Services on 03454 04 05 06.