Scam tactics July campaign month of actions & events
To help people Citizens Advice Wales, Wrexham Trading Standards and Flintshire & Wrexham’s OWL/Watch set to expose tactics used by scammers by hosting a number of events utilising scam awarness campaign materials.
Cold calls, high-pressure sales tactics and automated voicemails asking for people’s details are just some of the tricks scammers are using to rob people of their hard earned money
The organisations are participating in the nationwide launch of Scams Awareness Month on 1 July to help stop people falling prey to scams by following a three-step rule – get advice, report it, and tell others about it.
Fraud victims pay a heavy price, losing billions of pounds every year. Scams targeting people by phone or post alone cost people in the UK an estimated UK £5 billion each year.
Wrexham Trading Standards and OWL/Watch are inviting local Wrexham residents to join in free events during July giving people the skills to stop scammers in their tracks.
The OWL/Watch team are at a number of locations throughout the month starting with the Acton Community Resource Centre on Overton Way, Wrexham on Wednesday 6th July at 12.30 pm until 16.00 pm. This event is aimed at helping show people how to spot a scam. People will learn the tell-tale signs of fraud, from being made an offer that’s too good to be true, to being rushed into signing on the dotted line.
Informing the authorities and warning others is the only sure fire way of stopping scams, but people can be hesitant to even tell their friends and family. Speaking up about a scam is key to getting them closed down, and local residents need to report suspected fraud to the authorities.
Kevin Jones of Wrexham Trading Standards – Scams come in a variety of guises and we see new ones emerging all the time. However, there are common hallmarks to every scam and we’re keen to show people what to look out for so they don’t fall prey to a fraudster.
Reporting suspicious offers and incidents of fraud is vital to getting scams closed down. If you think you’ve been contacted by a con artist or have been the victim of scam, seek advice and report it to the authorities.
Denise Edwards of Flintshire and Wrexham Online Watch Link Association – Scams are more common than most people realise and every day we hear from people who have lost money to a con-artist. Some scams are one-offs that persuade you to part with a lump sum, while others go after your personal details so they can access your money or copy your identity.
We are asking people to help us tackle scams in Wrexhamby getting to know the common signs, warning others, and reporting incidents to us so we can investigate.
Our other local events to look out for during the month include:
Tuesday 12th July at 10.30-15.00 at Wrexham Library, Town Centre
Tuesday 19th July at between 9.00-12.00 at Gwersyllt Community Resource Centre, Second Avenue, Gwersyllt
Tuesday 19th July at 13.00-16.00 at Chirk Health Centre, Colliery Road, Chirk
Thursday 28th July – 10.00-15.00 at Borras Shops, Borras Park Road. This event will also be supported by North Wales Police and Community Councillor.
To attend any of these events, just turn up on the day and help support your local community.
People can get advice and report scams to Trading Standards through your local Citizens Advice Service or through the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06. We also recommend signing up to OWL which provides an email alert specific to your local area, by following the link https://www.owl.co.uk/ or contact OWL direct on 01352 708118 or email to wat@owlcymru.org
If you need to reply regarding this message, click on this email address: watch@owlcymru.org
Regards,
OWL Watch
OWL Watch
District Councils
Email: watch@owlcymru.org
Tel: 01352 708118