It’s Scams Awareness Month and people are being warned to beware of being caught out by fraudsters. There are countless ways that criminals have found to scam people out of their money, but there are steps to take to be wiser about scams.

Do some research

New technology has made scamming a fine art. Telephones, smartphones, computers, and tablets has inspired a new generation of scammers from home and abroad.

People need to be much more careful. Just as the internet is used to search for products and services, people should use the internet to:

• research the seller or provider
• check reviews and scam alerts from those who have already been caught out

It is one of the easiest ways of protecting yourself.

Scams and what to do 

Each month Trading Standards Service’s Consumerline receives hundreds of complaints, many from people who have been scammed from a few pounds to many thousands of pounds.

For example:

• phone calls catch the unwary who are frequently too quick to agree business over the phone
• instead of being given money, some consumers have lost hundreds of pounds applying for loans
• fake websites supposedly selling cars and even outboard motors have caught local consumers out in recent weeks

Lots of people also fall for ‘free trials’ of various lotions and potions. Thinking they have paid only a few pounds for post and packaging, they discover that they have had sometimes hundreds of pounds withdrawn from their account under a Continuous Payment Authority. In many cases, goods are simply never delivered.

Anyone who feels that they have been a victim of a scam should contact Consumerline. 

Report a scam

Many people who are scammed feel they are to blame to falling for it, but it’s not their fault.

If you have – or know someone who has – been a victim of fraud, no matter how small, you should report it to the PSNI or Action Fraud. 

Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

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