- Send letters falsely claiming you have won a lottery or prize draw
- Offer bogus investment opportunities
- Pose as individuals seeking romance
- Send official looking emails containing false web links
- Claim to be calling from an internet provider or Microsoft
- Claim to be trusted officials such as police officers or bank security staff
- Claim to be from trusted agencies such as HMRC
Dealing with scams
If you receive an unexpected letter, phone call, email or visit, be cautious, it could be a scam!
Scam attempts typically start with someone making contact ‘out of the blue’.
The fraudsters can be extremely convincing, their aim is to catch you ‘off guard’, to win your trust, and to take your money.
- Pressure to act quickly or keep their contact a secret
- Attempts to obtain confidential information such as PIN numbers
- Requests to transfer money or hand over bank cards or cash
- Offers that sound too good to be true
- Never disclose security details, such as your PIN or full password
- Don’t assume the person contacting you is genuine
- Take your time to stop and think, and don’t be rushed
- Always listen to your instincts
- Stay in control
Dealing with doorstep callers
If someone you don’t know offers to do work at your property, sell you goods or buy items from you say ‘no thanks’ and shut the door.
Why should I say NO to doorstep callers offering to do work at my property?
- They may pressurise or intimidate you to let them do work
- You may not really need the work done
- They may do a poor job
- They may charge you far more than originally quoted
- They may charge you far more than the job is worth
- You may not get what you paid for
- They may provide false names, addresses and telephone numbers
Why should I say NO to doorstep callers offering to sell me goods or buy items from me?
- They may pressurise you to make a quick decision
- Goods they sell may be overpriced, faulty or unsuitable for you
- They may not offer you the true value of items they purchase from you
Avoid the cowboys
Always seek recommendations from friends, neighbours and family members and obtain more than one quotation before deciding who to employ to carry out work on your property.
Consider using a Trading Standards approved ‘Buy With Confidence’ trader.
Buy with Confidence
c/o Trading Standards, County Hall
Topsham Road, Exeter, EX2 4QD
Email: admin@buywithconfidence.gov.uk
Phone: 01392 383430
Phone lines are open Monday to Friday 10:30am-3:30pm
Reporting fraud and obtaining advice
If you, or someone you know, is vulnerable and has been a victim of fraud contact Sussex Police on 101
To report fraud or attempted fraud visit the Action Fraud website or call 0300 123 2040
For consumer advice, or to report a concern to Trading Standards, contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline.
Call the helpline
Citizens Advice consumer helpline: 0808 223 1133
Calls using Relay UK: 18001 0808 223 1133
(for deaf callers from a textphone or NGT Lite app downloaded onto a computer, tablet, or smartphone).
Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Lines are closed on bank holidays.
To contact a Welsh-speaking adviser: 0808 223 1144
Calls from mobiles and landlines are free.