09/05/12….Take scam letters and emails to your library

PEOPLE in Oxfordshire are being asked to take any scam letters or emails they receive to their local library during May, as part of a new initiative to help put a stop to scammers.

The initiative is part of a Scams Awareness campaign being run by Oxfordshire County Council?s Trading Standards Services. They explained: “The scams consist of misleading emails and letters making false promises of huge bogus lottery wins or other high value prizes, and always insist on payment to the sender before any winnings can be claimed.”

Turn them in and turn the tide

Richard Webb, Acting Head of Oxfordshire County Council?s Trading Standards Service, said: ?Scammers often target the elderly or the vulnerable, who can find themselves on the receiving end of wave after wave of letters. In some cases, people are being sent up to 600 misleading letters a month from across the world. Those that fall victim to the mailings can send off hundreds of pounds a month over many years and despite the riches promised in each letter, they never win a penny.

?These scam mailings are an absolute menace and the message is, ?turn them in and turn the tide.? The mailings received in this year?s ?scamnesty? will be analysed and the information shared with partner enforcement agencies in the UK and abroad. This will help to build a picture of what is going on and crackdown on the senders and their networks.?

Hand in scam mail

If you want to hand in any suspicious letters or emails you can do so at Thame library until Thursday, May 31.

Councillor Judith Heathcoat, Oxfordshire County Council?s Cabinet Member for Safer and Stronger Communities, said: ?I urge anyone who has received scam mail to visit your local library and report it. This kind of information can really help the team at Trading Standards to put a stop to these people who try to con the residents of Oxfordshire out of their hard earned money, and help to protect everyone in our community, particularly the elderly and the vulnerable. If you, or anyone else you know, has fallen victim to these letters and are sending these people money, please call the Citizens Advice Consumer Service.?

This initiative is part of a national campaign. For further information or advice please contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 08454 04 05 06 in the first instance.

IMAGE: Courtesy of Devon County Council