Advice bureau aims to beat the scammers
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HAVE you been scammed, or do you want to see action to stamp out common fraud and scams?
If so,Turriff & District Citizens Advice Bureau wants to enlist your help in its campaign to foil scammers offering dodgy deals that cost people billions of pounds every year.
The CAB is urging people to take part in a quick and simple anonymous online survey to find out what scammers are up to locally and which scams people most want to see action against.
The survey highlights 10 common scams ranging from bogus job ads to phantom flats and fake lottery wins. It also asks about scams that trade on cold calling and ask for up-front fees for goods and services that fail to materialise, including loans and debt management, building work and event tickets.
Some fraudsters even manage to extract bank card details from the people they target and go on to help themselves to money from their accounts.
CAB manager Gail Thorburn said: "Fraudulent offers or deals – scams – cost people billions of pounds every year and cause untold misery and distress. Some of the scammers are very cunning and can catch out even the most experienced consumers. We want to do something to foil the scammers.
"We also want to be able to inform Trading Standards about sharp practices targeting local people, so that they have the information they need to crack down effectively on scammers. That’s why we’re urging people to take part in our survey, share their own experiences, and join forces with us to beat scams and fraud."
To take part in the survey go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/scotlandscamscampaign
Turriff & District CAB is available on an appointment basis in the Masonic Building, Gladstone Terrace, opening hours: Monday & Friday 10am-noon & Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am-noon & 1.30pm-3.30pm; and at Chalmers Hospital, 2-4pm on a Wednesday, phone Turriff offices for an appointment.
The CAB is always looking for more volunteers to be advisers – full training is given. For more information contact: Gail Thorburn, tel 01888 562495, or email: manager@turriffcab.casonline.org.uk
