Tuesday 11 January 2011The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) annual Scams Awareness Month is calling for people to bin their scam mail to show the scammers that they have not been tricked. The campaign will consist of three themes; Scamnesty, holiday clubs and ticket scams, taking place throughout February 2011.

Various campaign materials will be available free of charge from the Office of Fair Trading, including campaign resource packs, posters, bin stickers, information booklets and web banners. Please click here to order your campaign material.

Watch members are encouraged to fight back against the fraudsters by collecting any scam mailings they receive and dropping them into designated ‘Scamnesty’ bins placed in various locations by campaigners. It is hoped that the campaign will help raise awareness around the issue in which one in 15 people across the country fall victim to every year, costing consumers a staggering £3.5 billion.

To find out more about the Scamnesty 2011 campaign, please click here. To sign up to Scamnesty, or for further campaign information, email scamnesty2011@oft.gsi.gov.uk

The top five complaints to Consumer Direct, the OFT- managed consumer advice service were;
1. Advance fee and money transfer
2. Prize draws and sweepstakes
3. Ticketing
4. Foreign Lotteries
5. Career opportunities

If you think you have been a victim of a scam, or suspect a scam, call Consumer Direct for clear practical advice on 08454 04 05 06 or visit www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/reportascam

Many Thanks