Be scam aware urges Council's Trading Standards Service

Date: 
Monday, 13 June, 2022

scams awarenessThe Council’s Trading Standards Service is urging people in East Dunbartonshire to share their experiences of being scammed as part of a national campaign.

Scams Awareness Fortnight is a national campaign from the Citizens Advice Bureau encouraging people to report and talk about scams. This year's campaign will take place from 13 to 26 June.

Scammers can strike at any time, from mailing scams with fake lottery wins to online adverts for products which don’t exist.

They use various tricks and tactics to try and steal people’s money, such as making contact out of the blue and piling pressure on people to agree to a deal on the spot.

Victims of scams are often reluctant to talk about what happened to them, but the Council’s Trading Standards Service wants to encourage more people to report scams so the authorities can chase down fraudsters. Reporting being scammed also means that people can receive advice on how to try to get their money back or any other steps they should take to protect themselves.

Leader of East Dunbartonshire Council Gordan Low said, "This national campaign is designed to raise the awareness of the types of scams that these unscrupulous fraudsters engage in. Knowing how to spot a scam is the best line of defence against being scammed.

"While scammers will always use tactics like cut-price deals and pressure selling to draw people in, there are more ways for scammers to reach people with different bogus offers - from texts and emails to social media and online adverts.

"Scams are crimes that can happen to anyone, but we can all take a stand to help stop them.

"Our Trading Standards officers can offer advice and assistance on how to try to avoid scams and safeguard yourself and others in the community. We want to create a network of confident, alert consumers in East Dunbartonshire who know what to do when they spot a scam.

"I would encourage residents and businesses that have concerns about a possible scam to contact the Council’s Trading Standards team for help and advice by telephone on 0300 123 4510 or by e-mail at trading.standards@eastdunbarton.gov.uk.”

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