Residents are being told to be on their guard after a recent increase in telephone scams.
Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Trading Standards has said reports of telephone scams have increased in the last 18 months.
Examples of the scams include:
Very often, these calls originate from outside the United Kingdom. In some cases, the callers already have enough information to refer to the householder by name, which helps the scammers give legitimacy to the call.
Cllr Rob Gough, cabinet member for public protection said: “While we by no means want to alarm residents unnecessarily, it is important that people are aware that these scams do exist.
“The advice from our Trading Standards team is to never give out personal details over the phone, unless your are absolutely sure that you are dealing with a reputable company.”
To help reduce the number of unsolicited calls, residents can register with the Telephone Preference Service, by calling 0845 0700 707 or by visiting www.tpsonline.org.uk
For more information about the scams, call Trading Standards Service on 01495 235 291 or Consumer Direct Wales on 0808 156 6736.
If you think you have been a victim of a phone scam, contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.