Latest figures show that three quarters of people in Wales have been targeted by a scam since the start of the year, and as part of the 2021 Scams Awareness Campaign (June 14-27) Vale of Clwyd MP Dr James Davies is warning people to be on their guard.
Scams have always been an issue. However, as a result of coronavirus, many are facing issues with employment, debt, housing and health, and scammers are exploiting the financial pressures this is putting people under.
The number of scams reported to Citizens Advice since the start of the year has more than doubled compared to the same time period last year.
The 2021 Scams Awareness Campaign is all about creating a network of confident, scam aware consumers who are able to recognise a scam, report it to the appropriate agency and talk about their experiences to help raise public awareness of scams. James is onboard to help get the message out to people in the Vale of Clwyd.
He said:
“Scams can cause not only financial loss but also a great deal of distress.
“Consumer Service data shows that there has been a significant increase in the number of scams relating to financial services reported in the past year. These can include things like: adverts offering fake “Get Rich Quick” investment schemes; phone calls, texts or emails from scammers pretending to be your bank, so they can get you to transfer money to them or give them your personal details; scam emails or automated calls pretending to be from an official organisation, like HMRC calling about a tax issue, or an offer of a pensions review out of the blue.
“With many people losing jobs, losing income and struggling to pay their bills, it is no surprise that there has been a rise in such scams. These threats are likely to remain prominent as we move out of the pandemic, so it's vital people have the knowledge and tools they need to protect themselves.
“Anyone can fall victim to a scam. People of all ages and backgrounds get scammed. It’s therefore important for everyone to be on their guard - if you’re not sure about something, take your time and get advice.”
If you think someone might be trying to scam you, it’s important to act straight away. If you need advice and support you can call the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133 or visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk. You should also report scams or suspected scams to Action Fraud.
