CAB launches campaign month today to highlight rick of scams

The West Berkshire branches of the Citizens Advice Bureau and Trading Standards have joined a national scheme to highlight the dangers of responding to potentially bogus emails, phone calls, letters and competitions, and when approached by cold callers.
Each week will focus on a different type of scam, including how to tell if the contact is genuine, and what people can do to help themselves and their relatives.
This includes searching for spelling and grammatical errors, considering if the contact is unexpected and suspicious, and if you are told to respond quickly or keep it a secret.
A number of common scams circulating at the minute are letters and emails seeming to be from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, offering a tax rebate, illegitimate passport and driving licence renewal websites and free trials for products which promise dramatic weight-loss.
People are being warned that even the most scam-savvy can find themselves caught out.
West Berkshire Trading Standards officer Allyson Bartram said: “It’s true to say there’s a scam for every person. People who are in financial businesses are being scammed just as much as anybody else.
“The people who do these scams are very good at what they do. They are very convincing. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
In 2012, CAB adviser Pat Croysdill was left £140 out-of-pocket after purchasing Christmas presents from Argos online.
“A box popped up which said ‘would you like a 10 per cent discount?’ so I ticked it,” she said.
What followed were monthly £10 payments to a company called Shoppers Discounts & Rewards, which, owing to the payment being relatively small, took her 14 months to notice.
Further research found that the firm operates with the consent of the companies involved, which have included Debenhams, Pizza Hut, Ryan Air and TheTrainLine.com
Many companies have now disassociated themselves with the discount firm, following negative feedback.
“You feel rather stupid,” said Mrs Croysdill. “We do nearly everything online. We are quite computer savvy.”
For information and advice, contact the West Berkshire CAB on 0844 4779980.