Scams can happen to anyone. They cause financial loss, distress and misery. Even when people avoid them, they can badly affect their confidence in themselves as consumers. In the Scams Awareness Campaign last month, we worked hard to help people know what to look for, how to protect themselves, and how to report a scam when they realise something is wrong.
Spotting a scam
Protecting yourself
Scammers try to get your personal details to get money from you or steal your details so they can pretend to be you. If you think someone might be trying to scam you, DO NOT
Reporting
If you report a scam, you might be able to stop others from being scammed. You should report the scam to more than one organisation – report it to:
Give as much information as you can – for example, dates, names and email addresses. Get help if you’ve shared your bank details. Your bank might be able to refund some of the money or block your cards. If you’ve been threatened with violence, report it to the police on 101.
Check out our online information on scams. Or contact Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead on 03444 111 444, 10am-4pm Monday-Friday. You can also drop-in at our offices in Banstead or Redhill or Outreach at Merstham, Tadworth or Horley: for opening hours go to www.carbs.org.uk