Caerphilly County Citizens Advice Bureau has revealed the top three scams currently doing the rounds.
The charity carried out a survey asking people what they thought the worst scams were.
A recent report by the National Audit Office identified that across the economy as a whole, unfair and rogue trading scams are costing ordinary people £6bn a year.
In response, Citizens Advice ramped up its campaign to tackle scams and fraud and created surveys that highlighted ten common scams – ranging from bogus job ads to phantom flats and fake lottery wins.
To support the national campaign, Caerphilly County CAB enlisted the help of their clients to complete the surveys. They had a great response, with over 70 people taking part by completing surveys in the bureau.
Simon Ellington, director at Caerphilly County CAB said: “Scams cost people billions of pounds every year and are targeted at those who can least afford to lose the money. We are really grateful to all the local people who took part in the survey, because by adding their voices to thousands of others all over the country, we can make sure that those in power know how worrying and damaging these scams are.
“Many of those who are caught out by scams and fraud are too embarrassed to seek advice. Caerphilly County CAB aimed to raise awareness of this in order to show that even the most experienced consumers can be duped, and to encourage others to seek advice while they still can.
“Caerphilly County CAB would like to thank all those who completed the survey in the bureau and online.”
The top three scams as voted for by people in Caerphilly County Borough
1. Switching
Individuals are convinced to switch gas, electricity or phone suppliers in order to save money, but in fact end up paying more.
CAB says: “The fact that this was considered to be the worst scam may be due to the current cost of gas and electricity constantly being on the increase, causing people to look into switching suppliers in order to get a better rate. This is an issue that faces most people in the current economic climate.”
2. Fake Lotteries
People are told they have won a lottery that they do not remember entering and get charged admin fees, taxes and more, despite the fact there is no prize.
CAB says: “In difficult financial times, people are more ready to believe in instant pay outs on large sums of money. Individuals in financial hardship can often pin their hopes on quick fixes and offers that seem too good to be true. Unfortunately, they often are.”
3.Dodgy Debt Advice
People are told they can have debt advice but the firm takes large amounts in fees and does not actually sort out the debts.
CAB says: “With more and more people finding themselves overwhelmed by debt, they often look for advice to on how to manage it. As a result, rogue firms can take advantage by offering advice at a cost. Individuals can find themselves worse off than when they started.”
For more information on the Tackling Scams campaign or other campaigns for change, please visit the Citizens Advice website www.citizensadvice.org.uk