Consumerline - News

Scams - don't let them get away with it! - 02/08/2010

Have you ever been told you’ve won a prize but you have to ring a premium rate telephone number to claim it? Reporting scams like these has just got a lot easier thanks to a new online tool developed for the Consumerline website www.consumerline.org. The website is managed by the Consumer Council, in partnership with Trading Standards Service.

Philippa McKeown from the Consumer Council said, "We all like to think we're too smart to fall for a scam but criminals are setting-up increasingly sophisticated tricks, designed to separate us from our hard earned cash. In the UK, over four million people admit they have responded to a scam at some point in their lives and £3.5 billion is lost every year causing misery to victims[1].  Consumers can now report a scam on the Consumerline website. Alternatively, they can call Consumerline on 0300 123 6262.

"The Consumer Council encourages anyone who has spotted a scam to take a few minutes to report the details and help prevent others from being ripped-off."

[1] www.guardian.co.uk/money/blog/2010/feb/02/scam-watch-oft-scamnesty-campaign

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