First Week of Scams' Month
As we catapult into Scams’ Month (AKA July) we begin the first week with telephone scams.
Did you know:
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There has been a 41% increase in receiving suspect calls
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A client was found to be receiving an average of 70 nuisance calls a month
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68% of unsolicited pension contacts start with a phone call
Although there is an emphasis on scams via telephone this week, a client came in a few days ago with a letter he received through the post which offered him the chance to cash in on £9,000,000...
To see the letter please see our Facebook page where we uploaded it to:
If you are contacted out the blue, always be suspicious. To name some anecdotal scams, some people have been telephoned regarding the car crash they had, or how their computer is not working (neither ever happened). Unfortunately, we have had clients report to us that someone rang them claiming to be from Citizens Advice, and they have demanded personal details.
If a caller claims they are from Citizens Advice when you do not have an appointment with us, please hang up. And even if you do have an appointment, question the caller and be on guard for divulging personal information.
Reject any calls that ask for money or offer pension advice.
The best thing you can do is register your number with the Telephone Preference Service- they’ll add you to their list of numbers that don’t want to receive sales and marketing calls and texts. This will help to block nuisance calls.
It will then be illegal for a company to make a call or text to your number that is registered with the Telephone Preference Service, so registering should scare companies away and stop them bothering you.
It’s a free service and it’s easy to register. Their link: http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/number_type.html
You can also see who has rang you if you keep getting unknown numbers ring you by going on Who Called Me? This is the link: http://who-called.co.uk/
If you get contacted out the blue and it sounds too good to be true, let us know on 03444 111 444. You can also report it to Action Fraud at http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
Let us know on our Facebook page as well of any scams you have encountered: https://www.facebook.com/Citizens-Advice-Wyre-Forest-224468154244225/
