Residents urged to play their part and act on scams during Scam Awareness Month

Lincolnshire firefighters, PCSOs, the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Lincolnshire Co-op and Age UK have all backed the campaign to tackle scammers, urging residents to talk about scams and be aware of what they need to look out for.

Emma Milligan, principal trading standards officer at Lincolnshire County Council, says:

“Whilst there are lots of different types of scams out there, unfortunately we tend to see a lot of similar cases coming up again and again. These can include:

· Free trials - make sure you read the small print as some have cancellation deadlines after which you’ll be charged hefty fees.

· Computer repairs - Scammers fake critical errors on your computer, getting you to enter codes or passwords and gaining access to your information.

· Insurance claims – always look into making a claim yourself if you’ve been involved in an accident rather than responding to a cold call.

· Prize draws - be wary of these, especially if you haven’t entered any! People have lost thousands of pounds by being persuaded to enter fake competitions.

“Taking the time to talk about scams is really important. People can be reluctant to talk about the issue, but getting advice from a friend, family member or the Citizen’s Advice team, or reporting a suspected scam to Action Fraud can all make a difference. ”

If you suspect you have been targeted by a scam call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

Follow the work of Lincolnshire Trading Standards including #scamaware on Twitter @lincsts