To receive a Friends Against Scams awareness session from Tom Hutchinson from Wiltshire Councils Trading Standards.
Minutes:
The board received a Friends Against Scams awareness session from Tom Hutchinson, Principal Trading Standards Officer from Wiltshire Councils Trading Standards.
Friends against scams was a national trading standards initiative. Scams cost the county millions of pounds every year. The four main types of scam were:
· Postal. Including things like lottery scams, catalogue scams, clairvoyant scams and inheritance scams.
· Telephone. Including vishing, SMShing, investment scams, pension scams and computer scams.
· Online scams, usually via emails either phishing for data, or asking for a small payment to get a big prize.
· Doorstep Scams, usually doorstep callers, often referred to as rogue traders. Or bogus callers who may carry out distraction burglaries.
To get victims hooked scammers relied on shame, social isolation, loneliness, vulnerability and the fact that the victim may not even realise they had been a victim. The victim may have seen the scammer as a friend or may not want to admit they had been scammed. Unfortunately this created a cycle. Once a person had been scammed they were more likely to be targeted by scammers again.
Scamming could have terrible impact on people’s lives. Consequences could include poor physical/mental health; debts; damaged relationships; being more likely to end up in care; repeat victimisation and even attempting suicide.
Trading Standards wanted to enlist the community to help to prevent these terrible consequences happening. In order to spot a scam victim, people should look for financial hardship or self-neglect. Along with signs like people going to the post office a lot more than usual or receiving more post or possibly free gifts. Likewise people getting many more phone calls or texts than usual. For doorstep scams people could look for others getting unnecessary or poor quality work done, or making more cash point withdrawals than usual. Unusual online relationships were another sign to look out for.
Top Tips to avoid getting scammed included: never disclosing security details; not assuming everyone was genuine; not being rushed; listening to your instincts and staying in control.
To report a fraud people could contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. For advice people could also contact Citizens Advice on 03454 040506. Depending on circumstances it may also be worth contacting the persons bank, Adult Social Care or the Police on 101.
Neighbourhoods could put up No Cold Calling Zone signs in their area. The Devizes Area Board was funding some of these as part of a grant initiative later in the meeting. People could also use the Buy With Confidence Scheme to find Trading Standards approved businesses.
In response to questions it was stated that you should not buy products on the doorstep. If you asked someone to leave and they refused to do so then call the police.
It was agreed that vulnerable people may be targeted by legitimate charities and may be persuaded to give more than they can afford. Whilst this was not illegal trading standards could provide advice to people. For example it may be worth signing up for the mail preference service, the telephone preference service or even getting a call blocker.
It was explained that Action Fraud were a reporting mechanism which gathered intelligence, they notified trading standards of issues. Although you may be unlikely to get a response from then, they would pass information on to relevant parties.
The Chairman thanked the officer for his presentation.