Scams continue to be a priority for TSSW and its member authorities.
Scams are fraudulent and criminal activities designed to cheat you out of your money or obtain your personal details for illegal purposes. The types of complaints we receive in Trading Standards vary from private car parking scams to online scams, such as dating site scams.
Scammers target people of all ages, backgrounds and income levels and their scams can be very convincing. Our ScamWise resources have been developed to raise awareness of the different types of scams and what you can do to avoid becoming a scammed.
Whilst you may become wise to the scams and avoid losing money to a scam, it is still important to report the scam to Citizens Advice or your local authority, such that Trading Standards can be kept informed of what the issues are the public are facing. This in turn helps Trading Standards respond to current issues and helps inform the consumer advice we then generate for social media.
If you’ve been affected by a scam, are concerned for a family mmber or friend, or just want to know more, we hope the articles and resources that will help you know what to look out for and guide you through a number of checks you can complete before purchasing any goods or services.
How to protect yourself from scams
Scammers are very clever at duping people into believing their scams are genuine. Here’s how you can help protect yourself from falling victim to them: