Have you been scammed, or do you want to see action to stamp out common fraud and scams?
Caerphilly County Citizens Advice Bureau wants to enlist the help of our readers in its campaign to stop scammers offering dodgy deals that cost people billions of pounds every year.
A recent report in the National Audit Office identified that across the economy as a whole unfair and rogue trading scams are causing over £6bn of consumer detriment each year, money many consumers can ill afford to lose at this time.
The Citizens Advice Bureau is urging people to take part in a quick and simple anonymous survey to find out what scammers are up to in Caerphilly County Borough and which scams local people most want to see action against.
The survey highlights 13 common scams ranging from bogus job ads to phantom flats and fake lottery wins. It also asks about scams that trade on cold calling and ask for up-front fees for services that fail to materialise, including loans, debt management and claims management.
Simon Ellington, director at Caerphilly Citizens Advice Bureau, said: “Fraudulent offers or deals – scams – cost people billions of pounds every year and cause untold misery and distress.
“Some of the scammers are very cunning and can catch out even the most experienced consumers. We want to do something to foil the scammers. We also want to be able to inform Trading Standards about sharp practices targeting local people, so that they have the information they need to crack down effectively on scammers.
“That’s why we’re urging people to take part in our survey, share their own experiences, and join forces with us to beat scams and fraud.”
To take part in the survey visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk/campaigns or visit your local Citizens Advice Bureau before September 30.