TV 'S ANGELA
RIPPON BACKS OFT SCAMS AWARENESS MONTH 'Scamnesty'
launch as new figures reveal top scams
OFFICE OF FAIR
TRADING News Release (09/09) issued by COI News Distribution
Service. 2 February 2009
The OFT today
launches its 2009 Scams Awareness Month to raise awareness of mass
marketed scams, which cost the UK public £3.5billion a year. Every
year an estimated three million UK consumers fall victim to scams
sent by post, email, text, the phone and internet.
This year's Awareness Month in February kicks off with a
nationwide 'Scamnesty', run in partnership with nearly
90 Local Authority Trading Standards Services, which calls on
consumers to drop scam mailings they have received into designated
'Scamnesty' bins or boxes at local libraries and public
areas across the country. The information collected will help the
OFT and enforcement partners to identify and develop strategies to
combat the worst scammers. A similar campaign was a great success
last year, collecting more than 15,000 mailings.
TV personality Angela Rippon is in Westminster today to back the
OFT campaign and stars in a new DVD, also being launched today,
highlighting common scams and showing how to protect vulnerable
groups in society including the elderly from scammers. Elderly
scams victims are likely to lose nearly twice as much as others.
Such victims are often socially isolated, over-trusting or in
declining mental health and repeatedly targeted by scammers.
The campaign launch is accompanied by the release of new figures
from Consumer Direct, the national advice centre operated by the
OFT, that reveal the most complained-about scams. These were
compiled from more than 7,000 reports in the last year through its
dedicated scams reporting website.
The top five reported scams are:
1) Deceptive Prize draws/ sweepstakes
2) Bogus foreign
lotteries
3) Advance fee fraud
4) Homeworking/ business
opportunity scams
5) Property/ land investment scams
Commenting about the Scams Awareness Campaign Angela Rippon said:
'Scammers use psychological techniques to gain vulnerable
people's trust. They exploit fear and insecurity to steal as
much money as they can from those who can least afford it. Though
anyone can fall victim to a scam it is always the oldest that are
hit the hardest.'
John Fingleton, OFT Chief Executive, said:
'Scammers are sophisticated at targeting people who are
often the most vulnerable in society. As we enter tougher economic
times it is more important than ever for people to be alert to
prevent themselves, or friends, families and neighbours from
falling victim to these heartless money-making schemes.'
Gareth Thomas, Minister for Trade, Development and Consumer
Affairs, said:
'Scammers cause deep anguish to their
victims. Anyone can be targeted by these criminals, but those most
at risk are often the elderly and vulnerable in our society. Only
a small percentage of victims report these scams. But with the
whole community keeping a look out we will be better able to beat
the bogus sellers that give honest business a bad name and cost
the UK billions of pounds each year.'
Ron Gainsford, Chief Executive, Trading Standards Institute, said:
'The Trading Standards Institute and Local Authority Trading
Standards Services across the country are supporting the Office of
Fair Trading's Scams Awareness Month to help tackle scams. We
urge people to be on their guard all year round for unexpected
letters, emails, texts and telephone calls with seemingly tempting
offers. We ask you to stop, think and also ask yourself
'What's in it for them?'
For information on your nearest library and how to take part in
'Scamnesty' see http://www.oft.gov.uk/oft_at_work/consumer_initiatives/scamnesty/
NOTES
1. The OFT is warning consumers to be vigilant during the
economic downturn as scammers are becoming increasingly
sophisticated at using techniques to exploit personal and economic difficulties.
2. The OFT's advice to consumers who receive a possible scam
offer is: 'Stop, think, and think again'. Do not be
rushed into sending off money to someone you do not know. How
likely is it that you have been specifically chosen for this
offer? Millions of people are likely to have received the same
offer. Think again - read the mailing carefully. If you are
unsure, speak to family or friends and seek advice.
3. If you think you have been the victim of a scam, or you
suspect a scam, call Consumer Direct for clear, practical consumer
advice on 08454 04 05 06 or see the Consumer Direct website.
Consumers can report a scam at http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/reportascam.
4. Scams Awareness Month is part of an annual international
initiative organised by the International Consumer Protection and
Enforcement Network. The OFT has enlisted the support of Local
AuthorityTrading Standards Services, Consumer Direct, and other
consumer and industry bodies.
5. The local Authority Trading Standards Services taking part in
Scamnesty are Bexley Trading Standards, Blackburn with Darwen
Borough Council, Bolton Trading Standards, Bracknell-Forest
Trading Standards, Brent & Harrow Trading Standards Service,
Brighton and Hove City Council, Bromley Trading Standards,
Cambridgeshire County Council Trading Standards, Ceredigion County
Council, City of York Trading Standards, Clackmannanshire Trading
Standards, Cumbria Trading Standards, Darlington Trading
Standards, Department of Enterprise, Trade & Investment (N.
Ireland), Devon County Council, Doncaster Trading Standards,
Dudley Trading Standards, Dundee City Council, Durham Trading
Standards, Ealing Council Trading Standards, East Dunbartonshire
Trading Standards, East Lothian Council, East Renfrewshire Council
trading standards, East Riding, East Sussex Trading Standards,
Essex County Council Trading Standards, Fife Council Environmental
Services, Gateshead Trading Standards, Greenwich Trading
Standards, Hampshire County Council, Hartlepool Borough Council,
Havering Trading Standards, Hounslow Trading Standards, Isle of
Wight Trading Standards, Kingston upon Hull City Council Trading
Standards, Kent Trading Standards, Knowsley Trading
Standards
Lancashire Trading Standards Service, Leicestershire
Trading Standards Service, Lincolnshire County Council Trading
Standards Service, London Borough of Camden, London Borough of
Hammersmith and Fulham, Manchester Trading Standards, Medway
Trading Standards, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council,
Midlothian Trading Standards, Milton Keynes Trading Standards,
Monmouthshire County Council Trading Standards, Newport Trading
Standards, Norfolk Trading Standards, North Ayrshire Council,
North East Lincolnshire Trading Standards, North Lanarkshire
Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Oldham Trading Standards,
Perth and Kinross Council's Trading Standards Service,
Plymouth City Council, Portsmouth Trading Standards, Powys Trading
Standards, Reading Trading Standards, Richmond Trading Standards,
Rochdale Trading Standards, Royal Borough of Windsor &
Maidenhead, Sandwell Trading Standards, Scottish Highlands TSD,
Sefton Trading Standards, Shropshire Trading Standards, Slough
Trading Standards, South Gloucestershire Trading Standards, South
Lanarkshire Trading Standards, Southampton City Council, South
Ayrshire, Trading Standards, St Helens Trading Standards, Stirling
Trading Standards, Stoke Trading Standards, Suffolk Trading
Standards, Surrey Trading Standards, Swansea City Trading
Standards, Swindon Trading Standards, Telford & Wrekin Trading
Standards, Tower Hamlets, Trading Standards, Walsall Trading
Standards, Wandsworth Trading Standards, West Berkshire Trading
Standards, West Lothian Council, Westminster Trading, Standards
Service, West Sussex Trading Standards, Wirral Trading Standards,
Wokingham Borough Council.