Help protect us all from bogus offers and lottery scams that swindle people out of millions each yea
You can be a scambuster – and help protect us all from bogus offers and lottery scams that swindle people out of millions each year.
Trading Standards has received an increasing number of complaints in the last few weeks relating to lottery scams.
These are either being sent through the post or via e-mail and all have a similar theme – without actually participating the lucky person has won a large amount of money from £2.5 million up to £20 million.
All the person has to do to receive the money is either divulge their personal bank details or to send a payment to release the funds.
The Office of Fair Trading estimates that the cost to UK consumers for this type of scam is £250 million a year.
We recommend that you should never send money for administration or processing fees or divulge your bank or credit card details in these or any similar cases. After all, these people are only after your money!
As part of our ongoing commitment to protecting vulnerable members of society, we have included the issue of the huge increase in scams into Operation Alert.
This operation is run in conjunction with a specialist police unit, which is dedicated to investigating bogus workmen, doorstep selling and for Trading Standards investigation and education of scams sent both by post, fax and e-mail.
The Office of Fair Trading’s top tips to protect yourself from scams are:
- are you the only one to receive the letter, call or e-mail? Check with someone you know and trust – the personalised approach has probably been sent to thousands
- check out the company. Ask for written information or a number to call back
- do NOT give out your personal bank account or credit card details
- don’t be pressured into signing anything or sending any money
- if it is a genuine offer it will
- still be there tomorrow
- remember that there is a scam for everyone. No one is immune to tempting offers or the professional pitch
- it is not always easy to spot scams – new ones are invented every day
- if you have been taken in, do not be ashamed – report it and become a scambuster
- trust your instincts – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.