Scam Awareness Month – helping you to identify and report scams in your area

The campaign is urging people to follow a simple three-step rule to guard themselves against scams – get advice, report it, and tell others about it.

Two elderly residents in Buckinghamshire lost £900,000 in a scam involving a bogus trading standards officer.  The pensioners had already been deceived for £300,000 by cowboy roofers. The residents then believed their fortunes had changed when a bogus trading standards official called. However, the man, thought to be part of the same gang, tricked them out of a further £600,000 in “up-front fees” with promises to recover the money.  Gary Andrew Booker, 55, of Surrey, was jailed for three-and-a-half years for his part in the crime.

Councillor Rhodri Evans Cabinet Member for Lifestyle Services, said: “As an authority that provides a trading standards function scams concern us. Like any public official, our trading standards officers would never ask for money from the public, let alone a victim, to help bring a criminal to justice.”

Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: “Scammers target people in all sorts of ways, including online, over the phone or even at their own front door.  If you suspect someone is running a scam or are worried you have been a victim of a bogus offer you can get help from the Citizens Advice consumer service.”

Advice to guard against doorstep callers involves:

• Fit and use a door security chain when you open the door.
• Check the identification of a caller by ringing their employer. Use the telephone number from        your telephone book and not one they might supply.
• Do not let anyone to carry out work on your house until you get a second opinion and never agree to callers who say “we are only in the area today”.
• Never keep large sums of money in the house and keep purses out of sight, not near the door.
• Get advice from the Citizens Advice consumer service 03454 04 05 06 who can provide advice and pass details on to trading standards

The Council is urging residents to report scams or suspected scams to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 www.actionfraud.police.uk or tell a friend, neighbour or relative about any scams you become aware of.