HOW TO   RECOGNISE A SCAM

   SCHEMING/CRAFTY/AGGRESSIVE/MALICIOUS

 DON'T LET THEM CON YOU

THE CON

  HOW SCAM ARTISTS SUCCEED-THEY WILL:

  CATCH YOU UNAWARES, CONTACTING YOU, WITHOUT YOU  ASKING THEM TO, BY PHONE, EMAIL, POST,   OR   SOMETIMES IN PERSON

SOUND PLEASANT, WELL SPOKEN AND WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND

HAVE SLICK, PROFESSIONAL LEAFLETS AND LETTERS

ASK FOR MONEY UP FRONT

 

THE PITCH

YOU'VE WON A PRIZE IN A DRAW OR A LOTTERY

YOU HAVEN'T ENTERED ONE

A CHANCE TO JOIN INVESTMENT SCHEME AND MAKE YOU HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY

 

 

SOMEONE YOU DON'T KNOW, WHO HAS CONTACTED YOU OUT OF THE BLUE

 

 

THEY'LL ASK YOU TO

SEND MONEY   UP   FRONT   ( ALWAYS REFUSE TO)

NEVER GIVE THEM YOU BANK DETAILS OR OTHER PERSONAL DETAILS.

IF    YOU   RING A PREMIUM   RATE NUMBER(ALL UK PREMIUM RATE NUMBERS START WITH 090   £1.50 MIN ALL MORE)

THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR

(THEY ASK YOU TO SEND MONEY STRAIGHT AWAY)

(THEY GIVE YOU A PO BOX NUMBER AS THEIR ADDRESS)

(THEY ASK YOU NOT TO TELL ANYONE ABOUT THE DEAL)

SCAMS TO LOOKOUT FOR

LOTTERIES SCAMS/PREMIUM RATE PHONE SCAMS

LETTERS PREDICTING THE FUTURE

PYRAMD SELLING/MIRACLE HEALTH CURES

WORK FROM HOME/FOREIGN MONEY OFFERS

EMAIL SPAM SCAMS/BOGUS HOLIDAY CLUBS

CAREER OPPORTUNITY SCAMS/ONLINE DATING SCAMS

INVESTMENT SCAMS/PHISHING/CHARITY PUBLISHING

SCAM LETTERS OR EMAILS FROM OVERSEAS (SOMETIMES CALLED "NIGERIAN 419 SCAMS")  MAKING AN OFFER TO TRANSFER MONEY TO YOU

IF YOU DISCOVER A SCAM REPORT IT TO

YOUR LOCAL POLICE STATION

THE OFFICE OF FAIR TRADING

TEL: 08450 7 22 44 99

 http://www.oft.gov.uk

YOUR LOCAL TRADING STANDARDS

TEL: 0845 4040506

 http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/tradingstandards