22/10    27 February 2010

The OFT is warning people in Scotland not to fall for scams, as new research reveals the most common types of mass-marketed cons in the country.

Figures released as part of the OFT's Scams Awareness Month show that overall, work at home scams are the most common scams responded to in Scotland (27 per cent), followed by prize draw scams (26 per cent) and advance fee scams (19 per cent). In the rest of Britain, people are most likely to respond to prize draw or sweepstake mailing scams.

The figures also show that 15 per cent of those people in Scotland who have responded to a scam acted in response to slimming scams or health cures, more than double that elsewhere in Great Britain (six per cent).

These types of scams seek to part consumers from their cash by offering miraculous health or slimming cures.

The new statistics have been issued today as part of Scamnesty, the OFT's month-long scams awareness initiative. They also found that of those consumers in Scotland that have responded to a scam, 63 per cent responded in the past twelve months compared to 45 per cent across the rest of Great Britain.

With only two days of Scamnesty left, today (Saturday) is the last day for consumers to drop scam mailings they have received into designated 'Scamnesty' bins or boxes at local libraries and public areas across the country. Scottish councils and Trading Standards participating include Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow and Fife. Consumers looking for their nearest bin can do a postcode search at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/scamnesty. The website also features an online bin where people can send suspected scam websites and emails.

To help protect yourself and those you care about, the OFT is encouraging people to remember the following tips:

• Stop, think and be sceptical. If something sounds too good to be true it probably is.  
  
• Do not be rushed into sending off money to someone you do not know, however plausible they might sound and even where an approach is personalised. 
  
• Take advice from your doctor or a reputable health professional before using a miracle health cure or slimming product.
  
• Think about how much money you could lose from replying to a potential scam - it's not a gamble worth taking.
  
• If you are unsure of an offer, speak to family or friends and seek advice from Consumer Direct before sending any money or giving out any banking or credit card details.

To find out more information, locate your nearest Scamnesty bin or report a suspect email or online scam, visit the Consumer Direct scams website at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/scamnesty.

Kyla Brand, the OFT's Scotland Representative, said:

'Consumers in Scotland need to be aware of the increasingly sophisticated and cunning tactics used to dupe people out of their cash. It is important that anyone thinks very carefully before responding to an offer. The only pounds that will be lost by replying to emails or letters promising miracle diet cures will be those in your pocket. Anyone who is tempted to buy a slimming product should talk to a doctor or pharmacist before parting with any money.'

NOTES

For more information or images of the Scamnesty bins, or case studies, please contact the team at 3 Monkeys Communications on OFT@3-monkeys.co.uk or call 020 7009 3100. The Office of Fair Trading press office is available on 020 7211 8898.

1. A representative sample of 5,718 people resident in Great Britain was surveyed online by YouGov in January 2010.
   
2. 'Scamnesty' is an annual awareness campaign run by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) for the month of February. It aims to increase consumer awareness of mass market scams and provides consumers with helpful and practical advice on how to avoid being scammed. To find out more information, locate your nearest Scamnesty bin or seek advice about a possible scam, contact Consumer Direct via www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/scamnesty.
   
3. Consumer Direct is the OFT managed advice service offering information and advice on consumer issues. Consumer Direct is funded by the OFT and delivered in partnership with local authority Trading Standards Services. For information see www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/scamnesty.
   
4. Victims in England and Wales can get help from Victim Support in complete confidence on 0845 30 30 900. In Scotland, Victim Support is available on 0845 603 9213.