Scam Awareness

Being more aware of Scammers and their methods is something we could all learn from.
Newport Citizens Advice in association with Newport Trading Standards, Gwent Police, the Office of Police Crime Commissioner and Age Cymru Gwent are working to help stop people falling prey to scams by following a three-step rule – get advice, report it, and tell others about it.
Scams come in all shapes and sizes. The consequences can have a devastating effect on individuals and their families. Perpetrators often play on people’s good nature to get what they want. The event will help raise awareness and give useful tips on how to protect you and your family against scams. The more information that is available the better.

This year’s message is “listen to your gut feelings”, if it’s too good to be true it probably is! Always act on any concerns by getting advice from the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline 03454 04 05 06, or reporting scams to Action Fraud 0300 123 2040 and importantly to share and warn family and friends about any potential scams.

Den Foley Chief Executive of Newport Citizens Advice said “Scams come in a variety of guises and we see new ones emerging all the time. However, there are common hallmarks to every scam and we’re keen to show people what to look out for so they don’t fall prey to a fraudster. Reporting suspicious offers and incidents of fraud is vital to getting scams closed down. If you think you’ve been contacted by a con artist or have been the victim of scam, seek advice and report it to the authorities.

Lyn Webber, Head of Criminal Justice and Rehabilitation, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent said: “Scams have a devastating impact on the lives of our vulnerable and elderly citizens within Gwent. There have been numerous examples of where older people have been harassed and/or manipulated to part with their hard earned savings by these despicable criminals. Through good joined-up partnership working and raising awareness about the dangers and impact of these scams, swindles and doorstep crime, we can, together, make it harder for these criminals to exploit our vulnerable and older citizens.”