How to avoid falling victim to a scam
The crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers has joined forces with Post Office Limited to help stop scams targeting elderly and vulnerable people.
Victims are being conned out of hundreds of pounds by fraudsters using postal, telephone and online scams. Now the Post Office and Crimestoppers are hoping to tackle the crime with a new campaign to raise awareness and encourage more people to speak out about the perpetrators.
The campaign was launched today with the support of Marilyn Baldwin, the founder of the charity Think Jessica. Mrs Baldwin has tirelessly campaigned to protect the elderly and vulnerable from scams since her own mother fell victim to fraudsters.
Advice on how to avoid being the victim of a scam:
Never send cash, disclose personal details or buy goods to claim a prize.
Always seek professional advice before signing up to any kind of investment scheme.
If you receive a suspicious phone call, never give out personal information. Just say "No thank you, I'm not interested" and hang up immediately.
Once your name is on a "suckers" list, the only way to stop receiving scam mail is to stop responding.
To report a scam, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
You can find out more information and sources of support here.