Citizens Advice Rural Cambs warns against scammers
Warning after increase in lockdown scams in Cambs. - Credit: PA
For Scams Awareness fortnight, Citizens Advice Rural Cambs (CARC) and the Consumer Protection Partnership have launched their annual Scams Awareness campaign and are sharing the top tips to protect yourself from a potential scammer.
New research by CARC has found that 79 per cent of people in the East of England have been targeted by a scammer so far this year as the cost-of-living crisis takes hold,
Of those people targeted by a scam, the top five most common types of scams reported in the East of England included: Deliveries, portal and courier services (54%), Banking (30%), Rebates and refunds (30%), Government or HMRC Scam (27%) and Investment or financial (26%).
Nick Blencowe, chief officer of CARC, said: “A shocking number of people in the East of England have been targeted by a scammer so far this year.
“We know scammers prey on our worries and fears, sadly, the cost-of-living crisis is no exception.
“Anyone can be targeted by a scam, and as the purse strings are tightened, and financial pressures pile on, it’s important we work together to protect ourselves and each other.”
To stop more people from falling victim to these types of scams, CARC is sharing five top tips to help you guard against a potential scam:
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- It seems too good to be true. For example, scammers pretending to be energy companies to lure people into “too good to be true” deals.
- You suspect you’re not dealing with a real company or a genuine person – take a moment to step back and double-check.
- You’ve been pressured to transfer money quickly.
- You’ve been asked to pay in an unusual way – like by iTunes vouchers or a transfer service.
- You’ve been asked to give away personal information such as passwords, PINs or other verification codes.
If you’ve been scammed, CARC advises:
- Talk to your bank or card company immediately if you’ve handed over any financial and sensitive information or made a payment.
- Report the scam to Citizens Advice. Offline scams, like those using the telephone, post and coming to your door, can be reported to the Citizens Advice website or by calling 0808 223 1133. Report online scams to the dedicated Scams Action service either online or on 0808 250 5050
- Text scams can be reported to your mobile phone provider by forwarding it to 7726.
- Also, report the scam to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
