Help Islington authorities crack down on cons for scam awareness month

Potential victims of “scam merchants” who peddle online fraud, overseas lottery “wins” and doorstep rip-offs are being asked to take extra care this month.

During May, Scam Awareness Month, Islington Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) & Islington Trading Standards are calling for residents to look out for any email, letter, doorstep seller or phone-call asking for personal or financial details.

Recent examples reported in Islington include advanced fee scams for PPI claims, job “training fees”, a “council tax reduction” scheme and recorded telephone messages warning of a pension shortfall or offering a bonus.

The campaign aims to encourage people who come across scams to report them – currently only five per cent inform authorities.

Scam e-mails and chain letters can be passed to Islington Trading Standards where they will be dealt with or passed on to the fraud authorities.

The information is used to help police and others find the scammer’s location or enable them to disrupt activities by closing websites and stopping phone lines.