Raising Awareness of Scams
The campaign aims to create a network of confident, alert consumers who know what to do when they see a scam and the Lambeth Trading Standards team wants to help spread the message. Scams are crimes that can happen to anyone and we don’t need to be embarrassed if we fall victim to them.
The team believe dealing with scams is a high priority and will investigate your concerns as well as providing advice on how to protect yourself from scammers.
Recognising a scam
It might be a scam if:
- it seems too good to be true – for example, a holiday that’s significantly cheaper than you’d expect it to be
- someone you don’t know contacts you unexpectedly
- you suspect you’re not dealing with a real company – for example, if there’s no postal address
- you’ve been asked to transfer money quickly
- you’ve been asked to pay in an unusual way – for example, by vouchers or wire transfer
- you’ve been asked to give away personal information like passwords or PINs
What to do if you have spotted a scam
Write down the details of your scam. This will help you remember all the important information when you report it.
Make sure you include:
- who you’ve been in contact with – write down names, numbers and addresses if you have them
- why you’re suspicious
- what information you’ve shared – for example, passwords, PINs, or bank details
- whether you’ve paid any money
- how you’ve paid – for example, credit card or bank transfer
A word from cabinet
Councillor Paul Gadsby, Cabinet member for Housing
“Sadly we know scammers are currently targeting residents in Lambeth. These scams come in many forms including fake lotteries, courier scams to extort your bank cards and up-front fee frauds. Scammers will come to your door, call you, email you and write – they are shameless and persistent. They often target the most vulnerable in our society in deliberate scams that hurt those most in need.
However, we are fighting back as this conduct will not be tolerated in Lambeth. We urge residents to look out for the signs of scams – both targeted at themselves or family and friends and our more vulnerable residents. You can report these concerns to Citizens Advice so our Trading Standards team can act on them. Together, we can help drive scammers out of the borough.”
How to report a scam
Report the scam by contacting Citizens Advice on 03454 04 05 06. Once they’ve got all the information they need, it will be passed to Trading Standards.
For more information, you can also check out the Citizens advice website.
