Bridgend AM and First Minister Carwyn Jones has pledged his support for a council campaign aimed at tackling scams.
Bridgend County Borough Council is inviting residents to bring in their scam and suspect mail and drop it in special collection bins as part of its annual Scamnesty Month.
Midway through the campaign, which runs throughout February, Bridgend Trading Standards officers have already been alerted to the wide range of scams affecting local residents.
Mr Jones met with Helen Picton, Service Manager for BCBC Trading Standards, who explained that the most common type of scam encountered locally involves bogus foreign lotteries and prize draws.
He was also told about a case involving a letter sent to a girl aged just six in the Bridgend area, notifying her that she had been allocated £25,000 cash prize or a £10,000 car. The letter asked her to call a premium rate telephone number to claim her prize.
This call was anticipated to last no more than six minutes at a cost of £1.50 a minute – that adds up to shocking £9.
Mr Jones said: “This is an excellent campaign which helps raise awareness of a very real problem. It helps local people recognise a scam and gives them an opportunity to pass on their bogus mail safely and avoid worrying needlessly about what comes through their door.”
Councillor David Sage, BCBC Deputy Leader, whose Cabinet portfolio includes Trading Standards, added: “It’s been helpful to show the First Minister the type of work the council is doing to combat this crime. Unfortunately nearly half of the UK adult population has been targeted by a scam, and every year one in 15 people across the country will fall victim to a scam. As well as unsolicited mailings this can also be in the form of phone calls or emails asking for money.
“I’m sure Carwyn will be able to use the information he has been given today to pass on to his constituents locally and also to the people he meets across Wales. Ultimately we want to send a message to these unscrupulous fraudsters that we are ready and willing to fight them on behalf of local consumers.”
Designated Scamnesty bins are located across the borough. The bins can be found at:
- Civic Offices, Bridgend
- Bridgend Police Station
- Bridgend Recreation Centre
- Maesteg Police Station
- Maesteg Sports Centre
- Porthcawl Library
- Porthcawl Police Station
- Ogmore Valley Leisure Centre
- Pencoed Swimming Pool
- Pyle Life Centre
The scam mailings will be collected and sent to the Office of Fair Trading for analysis, with the intention of identifying the scammers as well as understanding the tactics used by those who pray upon the vulnerable.
If you think you have been the victim of a scam, or you suspect a scam, call Consumer Direct for clear, practical advice on 08454 04 05 06 or visit www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/scams
Consumers can report all types of scams at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/reportascam
