A scam is a scheme designed to con you out of your cash.

There’s a scam out there for everyone. If you let down your guard and think that you won’t be fooled, then you too could become a victim.

Scams may come as telephone calls, letters, emails and text messages. The golden rule is that if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

These promotions are a dishonest attempt to make you part with your money. Be very suspicious of unsolicited offers etc that ask you to respond at once. Expensive '09...' premium rate phone calls are often used by swindlers to carry out scams, so be wary of them.

To reduce the chance of being swindled make sure that you know who you are dealing with Read all the small print and never pay for a “free” gift. In addition, bear in mind the following points:-

1. Be suspicious of unsolicited letters, phone calls or emails asking you to send money  – check out the sender and ask the opinion of family, friends or neighbours

2. If an offer or investment looks too good to be true, it probably is – trust your gut instincts

3. Always think twice – ask yourself ‘can I afford to give this money away?’

4. Never send money to anyone who says you have won the lottery or a big prize – you will never see your promised winnings

5. Don't be rushed into sending off money by time sensitive deadlines  

6. Never ring an '09...' number unless you're already certain how much the call will cost and what you are likely to receive

7. Never disclose your bank account, credit card or personal details to people you don't know

8. Don’t send money off just because a letter seems official. Scammers often use this trick. If you haven’t heard of them check them out before taking any action.

9. Scammers often use fake testimonials to support their claims but don’t let them fool you – make your own mind up.  

10 Don’t suffer scams in silence, get help! Contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 for advice or visit the website at Consumer Direct - Scams

11. Seek professional advice from an accountant or solicitor if large sums of money are involved.

There are ways to avoid receiving unwanted phone calls from businesses by registering with the Telephone Preference Service making it unlawful for a business to make an unsolicited telephone call, the registration number is 0845 070 0707. You can also register with the Mail Preference Service as well. The registration number is 0845 703 4599. This will cut down the legal unsolicited advertising, and make it easier to spot the scams.

Remember you can get advice about your rights and report any problems to Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

Alternatively you can report a rogue trader anonymously by using the Rip Off Tip Off website.

Beware of emails that appear to come from your internet service provider asking for your banking and other details!  A subscriber received an email appearing to be from their provider, AOL.  It said that their billing records were out of date and gave a link "https://bill.aol.com" where she was asked for her personal details with passwords, debit card numbers, security codes etc.  

When contacted about this request, AOL said that they never contact their subscribers with emails using links in this way. This is a scam.

Remember, No reputable business will ask you to supply this type of information in this manner. If you give your card details or other confidential information to someone who emails you to ask for that information, you will probably be giving it to a criminal who just wants to defraud you.

A new slant on the old "A parcel is waiting for you - send money" scam has reared its ugly head.  An email from "FedEx Courier Service® [mailto:info@fedex.com] " says that the recipient will need to send $172.00 to Nigeria in order to release "a Bank Draft for $800,000.00 USD" currently held by Fedex.  The method of payment is not revealed in the initial email.

Needless to say, if anyone sends money they will lose that money & possibly all of the contents of their bank account.  They will not receive the $800,000 of course, as it does not exist.

Be on the lookout.   

You are warned to beware of emails from your "mobile phone company" asking for your banking and other details!  A subscriber received an email from the address " e-billing@talktalk.co.uk ".  It said that their billing records were out of date and asked for her personal details with passwords, debit card numbers, security codes etc.  It threatened that, if the subscriber did not supply all this info her account would be suspended.

When contacted about this request, TalkTalk said that they never contact their subscribers, asking them to supply this type of information.

Remember, No reputable business will ask you to supply this type of information in this way. If you give your card details or other confidential information to someone who phones you out of the blue, you may be giving it to a criminal who just wants to defraud you.

Trading Standards have received a number of complaints about callers who phone consumers to say that they are from Revenue & Customs & want to refund a tax overpayment.   They ask for card or bank details to pay the refund into.  Money is then REMOVED from that card or account.

Remember, if you give your card details or other confidential information to anyone who phones you out of the blue, you may be giving it to a criminal who just wants to defraud you.  However if you suspect that the trickster may remove cash from your account, contact the bank or card issuer immediately to discuss your options.  If you are not satisfied with the outcome, contact Consumer Direct for advice on 08454 04 05 06.

If you have reason to believe that you have paid too much tax, then contact Revenue & Customs with your evidence. If this is initially unsuccessful, you may wish to approach a chartered accountant to take up your claim.

Seven out of ten older people in Britain are targeted by Scams every month, either by telephone or letter.

The shocking figure - the equivalent of more than 6.6 million people - was revealed by a new survey from Help the Aged and Barclays.

Older people are likely to lose nearly twice as much per scam - an average of £1,261 per scam - compared to younger age group.

The survey also reveals that 38 per cent of older people in Britain are not confident in their ability to spot a scam. Moreover, 60 per cent of older people aged 65 plus would not report a scam to a family member.

Help the Aged has produced a guide on avoiding scams for older people.

The 'Avoiding Scams' (PDF) guide is available on the Help the Aged Website.

How can you recognise if friends and relatives are falling victim to scams such as bogus lotteries, deceptive prize draws and fake psychic mailings?

Every year, an estimated three million people in the UK fall victim to postal, phone & other scams, losing an average of £850 each. Although people from all age groups can become victims, research shows that older people are the most likely to be targeted and lose the most money.

Scams can have a devastating effect on people's lives with many repeat victims losing their life savings and suffering ill health. The knock-on effects can also have a profound impact on victims’ families.

Someone regularly falling for mass market scams may:

Scammers are becoming increasingly clever and sophisticated and it's all too easy to get taken in.  If you think a friend or relative may be falling victim, ask questions, offer reassurance and advice, but try not to criticise as this may do more harm than good.'

Scammers use psychological techniques to gain the trust of vulnerable people.  They exploit fear and insecurity to steal as much money as they can from those who can least afford it.  Although anyone can fall victim to a scam it is often the oldest that are hit the hardest.'

Advice on the most common scams is available on the Consumer Direct website at Consumer Direct - Scams , where you can also report scams online. Alternatively people looking for advice can call Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06

The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is the central opt out register on which you can record your preference not to receive unsolicited sales and marketing telephone calls to your home or mobile telephone numbers. It is a legal requirement that all organisations (including charities, voluntary organisations and political parties) do not make such calls to numbers registered on the TPS unless they have your consent to do so. Registration is effective within a month of your request.

So if you continue to get cold, unrequested sales calls, you know that the caller is operating illegally and should be reported to the Information Comissioner on 08456 30 60 60

Telephone Preference Service Registration line - 0845 070 0707

The Mailing Preference Service (MPS) is a free service set up 20 years ago and funded by the direct mail industry to enable consumers to have their names and home addresses in the UK removed from or added to lists used by the industry. It is actively supported by the Royal Mail and all directly involved trade associations and fully supported by The Information Commissioners Office.

Mail Preference Service Registration line - 0845 703 4599

In every trading area there are people who want to cheat us out of our money.  If you know anyone trading illegally, tip us off, anonymously and confidentially, via the Rip Off Tip Off website.

Every day, people throughout the UK are falling victim to scams of one kind or another. It could be an unexpected prize draw or lottery win, or a chance to invest in an exciting new money-making or investment programme. But remember - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

For more information please see the Consumer Direct - Scams page