Council thanks 'Scamnesty' helpers

Rochdale Borough Council would like to thank those who posted them their suspicious and bogus mail during ‘Scamnesty 09’.

The annual nationwide ‘Scamnesty’ campaign was launched by the Office of Fair Trading and the council, who asked the public to help in the fight against bogus mail scams which cost the UK an estimated £3.5 billion a year.

Scamnesty 09 ran throughout February and information from your bogus mail has now been passed onto the Office of Fair Trading for intelligence purposes. But you can still report your suspicious mail directly to: Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 - in fact the council strongly encourages you to do so.

Andy Glover, Public Protection Manager at Rochdale Borough Council said: “Your mailings are vital in helping us to gather intelligence on the latest scams, and in stopping the worst offenders from ripping-off vulnerable people in the borough.

“Please continue to report your bogus mail to Consumer Direct and familiarise yourself with scam warning signs - it could save you parting with money that you’ll probably never see again.”

The most common scams to be reported to the council’s trading standards team included bogus lotteries and promotional prizes from abroad.The council wants residents to be aware of these warning signs in the hope that less people will be become victims.

It is normally a scam if:

• You must send a fee to make your claim
• The promotion is based overseas
• You are asked to send money abroad or to a PO Box number
• Prizes are shown in foreign currency
• You are asked for your credit card of bank account details
• You must persuade others to join a scheme in order to claim your prize
• It’s an unsolicited letter, phone call or email
• You must respond at once to claim your prize
• You must purchase goods to claim your prize
• You must call a premium number