Suffolk residents urged to be savvy against fraudsters as part of Scams Awareness Month
Practice manager admits stealing money from her doctors' surgery - Credit: Archant
Cold calls, high-pressure sales tactics and automated voicemails asking for personal details are just some of the tricks scammers are using to rob people of their hard earned money, Citizens Advice and Suffolk Trading Standards has revealed.
The warning comes as part of Scams Awareness Month, launched on July 1 in a bid to stop people falling prey to scams by following the three-step rule - get advice, report it, and tell others about it.
Fraud scams cost victims billions of pounds each year, with phone and post scams alone said to cost the UK an estimated £5billion annually.
Ipswich Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) will be in the town centre over the coming month helping understand how to spot a scam. People will learn the tell-tale signs of fraud, from being made an offer that’s too good to be true to being rushed into signing on the dotted line.
The importance of informing authorities, friends and family members will also be stressed.
Nicky Willshere, chief executive of Ipswich CAB, said: “Scams come in a variety of guises and we see new ones emerging all the time. However, there are common hallmarks to every scam and we’re keen to show people what to look out for so they don’t fall prey to a fraudster.
“Reporting suspicious offers and incidents of fraud is vital to getting scams closed down. If you think you’ve been contacted by a con artist or have been the victim of scam, seek advice and report it to the authorities.”
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Lesley Crompton, scams lead officer from Suffolk Trading Standards, said: “Some scams are one-offs that persuade you to part with a lump sum, while others go after your personal details so they can access your money or copy your identity.
“We’re asking people to help us tackle scams throughout Suffolk by getting to know the common signs, warning others, and reporting incidents to us so we can investigate.”
For more information, visit citizensadvice.org.uk or call Ipswich CAB on 0300 330 1151.
