scams - don't be a victim
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Scams - don't be a victim
February is National Scams Month and the message from trading standards is – don’t get caught out by dodgy dealers or tricksters who say you’ve won a fortune.
Last month the High Court took out an injunction against Wesley Beagley, a bogus racing tipster from Brighton, who conned people out of £175,000 by promising ‘amazing profits’.
And a local senior citizen was recently fleeced out of £70,000 in savings after receiving a phone call saying he had won a Spanish lottery. He was told he must send money to claim the prize – but never received a penny in winnings.
Scams involving premium rate phone lines are all too common. How many times have you opened a letter to be told you have won a prize – and all you have to do is phone up and claim it.
The catch – and the way tricksters may their money - is that your premium rate phone call can cost you more than £10. And if you actually end up receiving a prize, you’ll often find it’s been misrepresented and is actually worth a great deal less than claimed.
The council’s head of trading standards, John Peerless, said: “If a so-called prize or offer sounds too good to be true then it probably is. If in any doubt contact Consumer Direct South East on 08454 04 05 06 for advice and guidance.”