Citizens Advice Reigate and Banstead is calling for the residents of Redhill to be on their guard against scams after the area was revealed as one of the top scam hotspots in England and Wales.
Analysis of 5,000 scams reported to the national Citizens Advice consumer service between January and March 2016 show the areas where people are most likely to report scams, and the different methods scammers use to con people out of their cash.
The research looked at the 102 main postal areas in England and Wales and found the top areas where the most scams were reported per person.
Redhill came in fourth place for scam hotspots after residents reported 71 cases to the Citizens Advice consumer service in the first three months of this year.
Scam methods identified by Citizens Advice included up-front payments, where people were asked to pay for a service which never materialises, and fake services, such as telling people their computer had a virus which can be fixed remotely.
There were ten counts of this latter scam reported in Redhill, making it the most popular scam.
The top three scam types running in the local area were:
- 21 cases of upfront payment fees - Victims pay for a product or service which they never receive.
- 18 cases of fake services - Fraudsters charge people for a service that isn’t real or doesn’t exist.
- 6 cases of subscription traps - People sign up for a subscription that’s hard to cancel after they’re offered a discounted trial.
During Scams Awareness Month, which has been running all through July, Citizens Advice Reigate and Banstead has been informing residents how to spot a scam and what to do if they’ve been targeted. People are being urged to follow a three-step rule - get advice, report it, and tell others about it.
Elaine Parr Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Reigate and Bansteadl, said:
“Getting scammed can cost you dearly. Fraudsters have plenty of tricks up their sleeves so Redhill residents can’t be too vigilant. Scams Awareness Month aims to give people the confidence to spot scams more easily and speak up to stop others being caught out.
“Any residents who would like a second opinion about an offer they’ve received should contact us on 03444 111 444 or the consumer service. If anyone suspects they’ve been a victim of a scam, they should go straight to Action Fraud.”
Citizens Advice Reigate and Banstead’s top five tips for spotting scams include:
- Don’t be rushed into making an immediate decision.
- If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.
- Contacted out of the blue – be suspicious.
- Your bank will never phone you to ask for your PIN or your online banking password.
- Genuine computer firms do not make unsolicited phone calls to help you fix your computer.
Anyone worried about a scam can contact Citizens Advice Reigate and Banstead on 03444 111 444 or email via www.carbs.org.uk, call the consumer service on 03454 04 05 06 or visit citizensadvice.org.uk.
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