main content Give us the tip off on rip off scams

Trading Standards officers are taking their battle against scammers to Bromley High Street on Wednesday 23 February. Shoppers and residents are being asked to report scams to the Council’s Trading Standards team. The initiative will help identify the prevalence of certain types of scams and help tackle the problems and heartache that scams inevitably involve for unsuspecting victims. The drive, which is backed by the Office of Fair Trading, is part of ‘Scam Awareness Month’.

"It can be easy to be taken in by one of the many scams that is around. Basically though, if the offer is too good to be true, it probably is! The best advice we can give is to stay clear. If you have unwittingly been taken in, we can give you help and advice. We do want to know what type of scams are happening locally - so don’t hesitate to contact us" said Rob Vale, Trading Standards Manager.

Last week, the Office of Fair Trading named the top ten scams to watch out for this year:

• telephone lottery scams;
• prize draws, sweepstakes and foreign lottery mailings;
• premium rate telephone number scams;
• investment related scams;
• Nigerian advance fee frauds;
• pyramid schemes;
• matrix schemes;
• credit scams;
• get rich property schemes; and
• work at home and business opportunity scams.

Residents are asked to be particularly vigilant this month and report any scams they come across to Bromley’s Trading Standards team on 020 8313 4800 or e-mail trading.standards@bromley.gov.uk. The team believe that the only way to stop fraudsters earning millions is to identify and raise awareness of local scams.

The Citizens Advice Bureau and Age Concern will be on hand with the Trading Standards team on 23 February as part of a co-ordinated drive to expose fraudsters in Bromley. Information about the types of scams operating locally and advice on what to do is also in all the Borough’s libraries.

ENDS

Editors: For further information, please contact Andrew Rogers, Communications Advisor on 020 8461 7670 or Rob Vale, Trading Standards Manager on 020 8313 4785 or e-mail Andrew.Rogers@bromley.gov.uk.