Watch out for Scams

Around the country about three million people fall victim to scams every year, costing them around £3.5 billion. And in tough economic times, con-artists can thrive.

Scams are scheming and malicious. They can have devastating effects on people who fall victim to them. It is important therefore, that the community is aware of the types of scams that are around and who to contact if they believe they have been conned.

Scams can come in various forms:

• a phone call saying you’ve won a luxury holiday
• a letter claiming you’ve won a prize draw
• an advert announcing a new miracle way of shedding pounds
• an email asking for you to send out your bank details

Here are some top tips to avoid becoming a victim of scams.

• Never reply straight away to an offer. Allow time to think about it. Shop around for the best quote. If possible, get three quotes before you commit yourself.
• Never send money to anyone telling you you’ve have won a lottery or a prize draw. You won’t ever see the ‘winnings’.
• Never give your bank account details or any other personal information to people you don’t know.
• Never reply to an email, apparently from your bank, asking for your personal and bank details.
• Never ring an 090 number unless you know how much the call will cost you. It is a premium rate number and could charge you around £1.50 per minute.
• If you get approached by someone handing you a scratchcard telling you that you have won a “luxury holiday” ask yourself if you are prepared to sit through a lengthy sales pitch.

If you think you've been ripped off contact Consumer Direct.

And remeber, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is!

Associated documents:

  OFT Scams Research  (0.30 MB)
OFT Press Release - Bogus Holiday Clubs  (0.02 MB)
Bogus Holiday Club Leaflet  (0.45 MB)
Timeshare Leaflet  (0.11 MB)
Link 11  ( MB)