Victims of an international marketing scam will receive £8,000 compensation after mail was sent to vulnerable people, especially those living alone or with long-term health conditions, promising a ‘guaranteed’ cash prize.
The scam victims were asked to pay an upfront fee between £25 and £40 before realising – having paid the fee several times – that there was no prize.
Action was taken after 4 years of investigations found the source to be a criminal enterprise in Kansas, USA. The Federal Trade Commission of the States forced them to forfeit cash and assets which are now being provided as compensation.
There was a total of 41 victims in Gloucestershire to be reimbursed a total of £7,431 in small amounts amongst them, thanks to the Gloucestershire County Council’s Trading Standards Department.
Dave Norman, cabinet member for trading standards stressed that “falling victim to a scam is a distressing experience. Wherever scammers are based, we will collaborate with our partners to ensure they are caught. I would advise residents to be wary of any offers they receive promising cash and report it if you have any concerns – if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.”
Reduce the risk of falling victim to fraud. Follow these simple steps:
- STOP and take a moment to think before giving your personal information such as PINs, passwords or card details
- CHALLENGE it – could it be fake? Are there any grammar mistakes? Is the sender name strange? Only criminals will rush you.
If you have fallen victim to a scam, contact your bank as soon as possible and report to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040
For more advice, contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133
