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Scams Awareness 2021- Press Release 17/06/21

Scams Awareness 2021

3 in 4 people in the East Midlands have been targeted by a scammer so far in 2021

 

78% of people in the East Midlands have been targeted by a scammer since January, new research by Citizens Advice LeicesterShire has found. 

Fraudsters tried to trick locals in a range of ways, but the biggest scam faced by East Midlands locals is delivery scams. 51% of people in the area said they’d been contacted about a scam of this kind.

Many people in the East Midlands say they’re worried that they or a loved one could fall victim to a scam, with 74% saying they’re concerned this might happen.

To encourage people to report scams, share their experiences and look out for others, Citizens Advice LeicesterShire have launched their annual Scams Awareness campaign.

 

Richard Evans Chief Officer of Citizens Advice LeicesterShire said:

“A shocking number of people in Leicestershire have been targeted by a scammer so far this year. 

“As life begins to unlock, it’s so important we all do our bit and report anything that looks like a con when we see it. By learning how scammers operate, and helping each other understand what to look out for, we can all work together to stop fraudsters in their tracks.“

 

To help stop more people being fleeced by these types of scams, Citizens Advice LeicesterShire is sharing the following tips on how to spot them. 

 

It might be a scam if:

  • it seems too good to be true – for example, a holiday that’s much cheaper than you’d expect 
  • you suspect you’re not dealing with a real company – for example, if there’s no postal address
  • you’ve been pressured to transfer money quickly or in an unusual way – like by iTunes vouchers or a transfer service 
  • you’ve been asked to give away personal information like passwords or PINs
  • you haven’t had written confirmation of what’s been agreed

 

If you’ve been scammed, Citizens Advice LeicesterShire advise:

  • talk to your bank or card company immediately if you’ve handed over any financial and sensitive information or made a payment
  • report offline scams, like telephone, post and doorstep, to Citizens Advice online or by calling 0808 223 1133. Report online scams to the dedicated Scams Action service either online or on 0808 250 5050 
  • report the scam to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040

 

– ends –

 

Editors Notes

Citizens Advice LeicesterShire is an independent local charity serving the communities of Leicester and Leicestershire (excluding Charnwood). During 2020 – 21, our trained advisers supported 17,501 local people to solve their problems.

We are continuing to provide advice and information by telephone and email during the coronavirus restrictions and are now able to offer video appointments. We’re here for everyone – please don’t wait until you are desperate to contact us.

Anyone needing advice can ring 0808 2787970 (City) and 0808 2787854 (County) between 9am and 4.30pm on weekdays. Non-urgent or out of hours enquiries can be made by email from our website. In addition to our generalist services, we also offer the following specialist advice:

 

Macmillan Welfare Benefits – 0300 456 8400

Citizens Advice and Macmillan Cancer Support are working together to provide welfare benefits advice to people affected by cancer.

Mesothelioma Advice – 0800 169 2409

Benefits advice and compensation support for people with asbestos cancer, delivered in partnership with Mesothelioma UK.

Money Advice – 0116 464 7239,

Specialised debt and money advice service for County residents, supported by The Money Advice Service.

Pension Wise – 0800 134 3944

Free and impartial government service for the over 50s about the different ways you can take money from your pension.

 

For any more information, please contact Adele Stacey at