Be On The Lookout For Scams

Trading Standards CNES are reminding residents to be on the lookout for scams that are currently circulating in the islands.

A Trading Standards Officer said that residents should be suspicious if they receive a letter or a telephone call out of the blue that sounds too good to be true. If you are asked to send money to someone you have never met then the chances are that it is a scam.

Scammers know how to “dazzle” minds, where the victim will become enthused and direct their attention on the prize not on the fact that they are sending money or sending bank account details to someone they don’t know.

As well as telephone scams where the recipient has been asked to send off money in order to claim a prize, Trading Standards have been made aware of overseas inheritance or banking scam letters.

The scam works by the sender claiming to work with a bank or a government agency abroad, and stating that they are aware of a deceased client or an individual with the same surname as the recipient. The letter will claim that there is a dormant account with a substantial balance that can be accessed by you as you have the same surname as the account holder. You are asked to keep the matter confidential. The sender will then ask you to contact them usually by phone or e mail and from there you will be asked to initially send small amounts of money for processing fees etc. to transfer the funds.

There will always be problems with accessing the money and the  victim will be asked for further payments. The amounts requested will become increasingly larger until the victim eventually realises they have been scammed, often having lost out on thousands of pounds.

Don’t suffer in silence- speak out about scams. It is estimated that only 5% of scams are ever reported. For more tips please visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk

If you think you or a family member is receiving scam mail or telephone calls , you can report it to CNES Trading Standards at 01851 822694.

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