Ahead of many households receiving vital government help to cope with rising prices, Citizens Advice and the Consumer Protection Partnership have launched their annual Scams Awareness campaign.
New research by Citizens Advice has found a staggering 79% of people in the East of England have been targeted by a scammer so far this year.
The top five most common types of scams reported in our local area included
Deliveries and courier services (54%)
Banking (30%)
Rebates and refunds (30%)
Government of HMRC scams
Investment or financial (26%)
Rosie Waters, Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Advice North Herts, said:
“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.”
Citizens Advice North Herts is sharing five top tips to help you guard against a potential scam:
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 an 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, Citizens Advice North Herts 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.
We give people the knowledge and confidence they need to find their way forward - whoever they are, and whatever their problem.
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