People need to be on their guard against financial and legal scams following a rise in cases reported to the national Citizens Advice consumer service.
A total of 1200 financial and legal scams were reported to the consumer service in the year ending April 2018 – a 6% increase on the year before. The median loss for these scams was £330.
This June, at Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead (CARBS) we’re showing people how to spot scams as part of Scams Awareness Month 2018.
Elaine Parr, District Manager, Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead said:
“Scammers can be very plausible when pretending to be white collar professionals, especially online. They’re skilled at persuading people they are legitimate.
“The stakes are particularly high with financial and legal scams. You can end up losing your savings or pension fund, which can put your long-term financial stability at risk.
“If you get approached about any investment, don’t rush into anything. Make sure it’s legitimate first – particularly if you’re contacted out of the blue.”
Scams Awareness Month is an annual campaign to encourage people to report and talk about scams.
This year, CARBS is delighted to have the support of Redhill and Banstead public libraries in making scam warnings available to the public.
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Read our full press release here. (including reported scams and things to watch out for)