Council urges people to bin scam mail

Scamnesty 2011 logo

Rochdale Borough Council is urging people to bin their scam mail. The nationwide ‘Scamnesty’ campaign by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), which aims to raise awareness of mass marketed scams across the UK, is coming to Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale in February (2011).

Almost half of the adult population in the UK has been targeted by a scam, one in 15 people, 3.2 million adults, across the country are victims of scams involving deceptive unsolicited mailing, phone calls, emails, all of which are designed to con people out of their money.

UK consumers lose a staggering £3.5 billion to scams every year, ‘Scamnesty 2011’ calls on the people of the borough to fight back against fraudsters; they urge people to do this by collecting any scam mailings they receive and dropping them into designated ‘Scamnesty’ bins.

The Scamnesty bins will provide valuable new intelligence to the council and OFT, help inform future investigations, which will hopefully prevent others from being scammed.

Andy Glover, Public Protection Manager at Rochdale Borough Council said: “We’re calling on you for help so that we catch and stop the people behind these scams snaring more victims. Our motto for the month long campaign is ‘drop in to drop them in it’. If you’ve been a victim, don’t be embarrassed, report the scam to us and help prevent others from suffering the same fate.”

The top five complaints to Consumer Direct, the OFT-managed consumer advice service were: 

• Advance fee and money transfer
• Prize draws and sweepstakes
• Ticketing
• Foreign lotteries
• Career opportunities.

Michele Shambrook, Operations Manager for the OFT-managed advice service Consumer Direct, said: “‘Scamnesty will help raise awareness of mass marketed scam mailings in the UK. Every day, people are at risk from unscrupulous fraudsters who want to con them out of their cash and it is important that consumers recognise the increasingly sophisticated methods of scammers.”

Councillor Terry Linden, cabinet member responsible for trading standards enforcement at Rochdale Borough Council, added: “We have the power to end this crime in our communities and prevent many of our residents becoming victims. I urge everyone to collect their suspicious scams and drop them in the scamnesty bins. Your actions will send a clear message to fraudsters that we’re onto them and we’re not afraid to drop them in it!”

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 Scam bin locations:
Rochdale Customer Services Centre, Floor 2 Municipal Offices, Smith Street
Customer Services, Floor 1 Telegraph House, Baillie Street

Middleton Customer Services Centre, Sadler Street, Middleton
Bowlee Housing Office, 17 Lingmell Close, Langley

Heywood Customer Services Centre, The Phoenix Centre, Heywood
Heywood Library, Church Street, Heywood

Pennines Customer Services Centre, Harehill Park, Littleborough
Customer Services Centre, 82 Dale Street, Milnrow

Consumers can report all types of scams easily online at
www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/reportascam