Scampaign | Suffolk County Council

'Lottery scammers on the prowl' - September 2012

LETTERS, emails or calls about a lottery win can seem like a dream come true, but Trading Standards is issuing a stark warning as part of this month’s Scampaign.

In reality, these messages of congratulations can often signal the start of a scam nightmare, leaving people out of pocket or at risk of identity theft.

Often consumers are told they have won a large amount of money on an overseas or online lottery and are encouraged to supply personal information and hand over their bank details to receive the winnings.

They are also warned to keep their success a secret and told they may lose their winnings if they don’t claim them immediately. The fraudsters can then use this information to steal and both money and identities.

It is important to note that official lotteries in other countries operate in much the same way as the UK’s National Lotto - no official lotteries that Trading Standards know of contact people to tell them of their win.

The county-wide Scampaign crackdown on rogue traders and cold callers was launched earlier this year to examine the huge range of scams that Suffolk people are exposed to.

Along with trained and experienced Trading Standards officers, a new cohort of ‘Consumer Champions’ have been offering invaluable advice and guidance to help protect vulnerable members of the community.

This month, Consumer Champion and local Councillor for the Felixstowe and Trimley area, Councillor John Goodwin, is offering advice and guidance on Lottery scams:

Protecting yourself against lottery fraud:

Never respond to any communication - if you haven’t entered a lottery then you can’t have won it.
Any request for a fee payment is a good indication that someone is trying to defraud you – there are no official lottery operators who ask for fees to collect winnings
Never, ever disclose your bank details or pay fees in advance
If they’ve provided an email address to respond to, be very suspicious of addresses such as @hotmail.com or @yahoo.com or numbers beginning with 07, because these are free to get hold of
Genuine lotteries thrive on publicity. If they ask you to keep your win a secret it’s likely to be a fraud
Many fraudulent lotteries have bad spelling and grammar – see this as a warning that fraudsters are at work

What to do if you are a victim of lottery fraud:

Report to Action Fraud specialists by calling 0300 123 2040
If you have responded to the email/letter/call, break off all contact with the fraudsters at once
If you have given over your bank account details, alert your bank immediately
Be aware that you’re now likely to be a target for other frauds. Fraudsters often share details about people they have successfully targeted or approached, using different identities to commit further frauds

Consumer Champions are volunteers that act as a bridge between Trading Standards and the local community. They make it easier for people to access information about consumer protection and to build resilience against rogue traders and scams.

Councillor Goodwin said; “Lottery scams are a serious issue that affect many people and it is part of our job to help people to recognise the warning signs. It is important to remember that if a win looks too good to be true, then it probably is.

“My role as a Consumer Champion has allowed me to take steps towards protecting my community and I would encourage anyone interested to get in contact with the Trading Standards team to find out more. It is extremely rewarding to know you are making a difference and potentially stopping innocent members of the public from falling victim to these types of scams.”

Sasha Watson, Community Engagement Officer for Trading Standards, said; “Fake lotteries and prize draws are just some of the many tricks that scammers use to prey on people’s hopes and dreams. The tactics these conmen use are so powerful that it can be difficult to say no. Always be suspicious if you are contacted regarding winning a prize, especially when you have not actually entered a lottery or competition.

“Along with trained and experienced Trading Standards officers, Consumer Champions have been offering invaluable advice and guidance to help protect vulnerable members of the community. Any individual who would like to get involved and become a member of this network should contact us. Our aim is to educate and empower local communities about their consumer rights, and to build resilience to rogue traders and scams.”

Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of a Lottery scam should report the matter immediately to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

'Scampaign tackles phone scammers' - August 2012

DECEITFUL telephone scammers are on Suffolk Trading Standards’ radar this month.

At the halfway mark of Trading Standards’ six month Scampaign, officers and consumer champions are working together to protect people from falling victim to unscrupulous cold callers.

Ian Leggett, a consumer champion from Chedburgh, works closely with local residents to pass on information about the latest scams. He believes strongly in saying ‘no’ to unsolicited telephone sellers.

“I know from personal experience that it’s all too easy to get taken in by persuasive callers, who too often won’t take no for an answer. The old adage still stands: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

The most important advice is to never hand over personal information or confirm details like your bank account number over the telephone. Your bank would never call you for your PIN, and you are well within your rights to call the head office to confirm the caller’s credentials. Ultimately, just say ‘no’ unless you have asked for the call, or you are absolutely sure it comes from a trusted source.”

Ian is the star of the latest short clip in the Scampaign series, where consumer champions around the county are joining forces to help people avoid scams.

Consumer champions are volunteers that act as a bridge between Trading Standards and the local community. They make it easier for people to access information about consumer protection and to build resilience against rogue traders and scams.

If you believe you have been a victim of a telephone scam you should report the matter to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via the website.

The county-wide crackdown on rogue traders, cold callers and scammers was launched in May to examine the huge range of scams that Suffolk people are continually exposed to. Each month will focus on a different issue, including E- crime, foreign lottery and debt cancellation scams.

Ticketing cheats under the Scampaign spotlight- June 2012

Music and sports fans are being warned by Suffolk Trading Standards not to fall victim to fake ticketing sites this summer.

As part of their six month long ‘Scampaign’, Trading Standards is determined to raise awareness of prolific ticketing scammers in Suffolk.

With the Olympic Games and popular music festivals only months away, people will be scouring the internet looking for cheap, pre-sale or sold out tickets.

This month, Consumer Champion Emma Cope, 19, A Suffolk New College student offers following advice:

Be wary of tickets that are on sale before they are officially released, or tickets available for gigs that have been sold out for weeks

Look for feedback or reviews of the website to see if anyone else has had issues with tickets not arriving

Check for contact details for the company - is there a landline and a postal address?

Pay for tickets via credit card - under section 75 of the consumer credit act (1974) your credit card issuer is jointly liable for the non delivery of goods or service if a single ticket is over £100.

When buying tickets online look for sites with https:// in the web address, and a padlock symbol which will let you know if the site is secure

Emma has been a Consumer Champion for the last 3 months.

She said; “I really wanted to get involved so I could help my friends and other students. I thought the whole idea of becoming a consumer champion was intriguing, so signed up to find out more.

“At least one of my college friends has been caught out by an internet-based ticket scam, but thankfully avoided handing over any money at the crucial stage. It's so easy to get taken in, as many of the fraudulent sites are presented so professionally. That's why I want to do what I can to avoid anyone becoming a victim this summer."

The county-wide crackdown on rogue traders, cold callers and scammers was launched last month to examine the huge range of scams that Suffolk people are continually exposed to.

Each month will focus on a different issue, including telephone sales, E- crime and debt cancellation scams.

Along with trained and experienced Trading Standards officers, a new cohort of ‘Consumer Champions’ will be offering invaluable advice and guidance to help protect vulnerable members of the community.

Next month, Trading Standards and their Consumer Champions will focus on telephone scams. These scams offer to help consumers consolidate their debt, but they are then asked to pay an administrative fee - often victims either get a very small benefit or none at all.

Ticket Scams explained factsheet (396K)

'Scampaign' Kicks off with Doorstep Crime

UNSCRUPULOUS doorstep sellers are under the spotlight this month as Trading Standards begins its six month long ‘Scampaign’.

Doorstep sales are an increasingly common way for scammers to prey on vulnerable people and Trading Standards are determined to raise awareness through their 2012 campaign.

The county-wide crackdown on rogue traders and cold callers was launched earlier this month to examine the huge range of scams that Suffolk people are continually exposed to.

Each month will focus on a different issue, including telephone sales, E- crime and ticketing scams.

This month, Consumer Champion Rhoda Staley is offering advice and guidance on doorstep sales:

Don’t be scared to say ‘no’ to a doorstep caller - there is no problem with being over cautious

Never agree to work on your home on the spot, seek advice before agreeing to anything.

Remember that doorstep callers can come in all shapes and sizes - they can men, women, pairs and have children with them

Don’t be taken in by illegal pressure selling tactics, such as refusing to leave, repeatedly calling or claiming they’ll lose their job if you don’t agree to the work

Check on your elderly and vulnerable relatives and neighbours regularly if you suspect doorstep callers are operating in your area

Rhoda has been a Consumer Champion for over a year now. She said; “I feel so strongly about playing my part during the Scampaign as I had my own personal experience with a doorstep caller. As a result of getting drawn into the scam, I had a traumatic time going through the court to get some of my money back. I would hate this to happen to others, so I’m doing what I can to help.

“It is so important that we do all we can to educate and empower Suffolk people to identify the early warning signs and feel they have the confidence to say ‘no’ to deceitful doorstep sellers.”

Next month, Trading Standards and their Consumer Champions will focus on ticketing scams. Consumers are often caught out buying tickets for gigs that haven’t gone on sale yet, or have been sold out for weeks. The tickets either turn out to be fake or do not arrive at all. Calls to the company often go unanswered or divert to a different number and consumers are left out of pocket and disappointed.

Download our doorstep selling advice guide (PDF 434k)