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65% of people in the South East have been targeted by a scammer since January, new research by Citizens Advicehas found.
Fraudsters tried to trick locals in a range of ways, but the biggest scam faced by Oxfordshirelocals is delivery scams. 56% of people in the area said they’d been contacted about a scam of this kind.
Many people in Oxfordshire say they’re worried that they or a loved one could fall victim to a scam, with 61% saying they’re concerned this might happen.
To encourage people to report scams, share their experiences and look out for others, Citizens Advice across Oxfordshire and Trading Standards are launching their annual Scams Awareness campaign.
Jon Bright, Chief Officer of Citizens Advice South Oxfordshire and Vale said:
“A shocking number of people in Oxfordshire have been targeted by a scammer so far this year.
“As life begins to unlock, it’s so important we all do our bit and report anything that looks like a con when we see it. By learning how scammers operate, and helping each other understand what to look out for, we can all work together to stop fraudsters in their tracks.“
To help stop more people being fleeced by these types of scams, Citizens Advice across Oxfordshire andTrading Standards are sharing the following tips on how to spot them.
It might be a scam if:
- it seems too good to be true – for example, a holiday that’s much cheaper than you’d expect
- you suspect you’re not dealing with a real company – for example, if there’s no postal address
- you’ve been pressured to transfer money quickly or in an unusual way – like by iTunes vouchers or a transfer service
- you’ve been asked to give away personal information like passwords or PINs
- you haven’t had written confirmation of what’s been agreed
If you’ve been scammed, Citizens Advice advise:
- talk to your bank or card company immediately if you’ve handed over any financial and sensitive information or made a payment
- report offline scams, like telephone, post and doorstep, to Citizens Advice online or by calling 0808 223 1133. Report online scams to the dedicated Scams Action service either online or on 0808 250 5050
- report the scam to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040