Only half of people report scams, says West Sussex Citizens Advice

Fewer than half of people report scams, says Citizens Advice in West Sussex.
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More than 64 per cent of people in the South East region have been approached by a scammer in the last two years, said a Citizens Advice spokesman.

However, only 46 per cent told anyone about it.

June is Scams Awareness Month and a national campaign has been launched to encourage people to report and talk about scams under the slogan: “Stop, report, talk: Be #scamaware”.

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Citizens Advice Bureau is marking Volunteer Week
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Citizens Advice Horsham and Trading Standards are encouraging people to talk about their experiences and look out for others, particularly vulnerable people.

You can meet the team at the Crawley Festival on Saturday June 22 at the Memorial Gardens to find out how to avoid and report scams.

A spokesman said: “More than half of all scams reported to the Citizens Advice consumer service in the last year used well-established, offline methods.

“These classic tactics from the scammers’ playbook include unsolicited doorstep selling, mail and cold calling, and saw people lose an average of almost £3,000.”

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Fraudsters using these methods are known to overwhelmingly target older, more vulnerable people.

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Julie Martin, chief executive Officer of Citizens Advice in West Sussex (North, South, East), said: “‘Stop, report, talk: Be #scamaware’ is our message to people in and around Horsham.

“We’re finding that although many people have come into contact with scammers, very few people are speaking up about this issue.

“People can sometimes feel foolish or embarrassed reporting their experiences, but sadly this means perpetrators are getting away scot-free.

“In reality, all of us can have the bad luck of being targeted with a scam. We hope this Scams Awareness campaign will encourage people to share their stories and learn tips to stop scammers from running off with people’s money.”