Scams

South Gloucestershire Trading Standards have learnt that UK consumers lose around £3.5 billion to scams each year.

Research undertaken by the Office of Fair Trading has found that more than one million adults fall victim to premium rate prize scams each year, 480,000 to pyramid and chain letter scams and 380,000 to prize draw scams.

The highest average losses per victim were £5,660 for investment scams, £5,000 for African advance fee scams, £4,240 for property investor scams, £3,030 for bogus holiday club scams, and £1,900 for foreign lottery scams.

Click on the pages below for information about specific prevalent scams and our Scamwise campaign.

Scams - holiday clubs

There are reputable holiday clubs, but there are many more bogus ones.

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Scams - homeworking

You might have seen tempting adverts offering high earnings for homeworking.

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Scams - prize draws

Everyone has received a letter through the door saying you are guaranteed to have won a substantial...

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Scams - scratchcards

Scratchards usually arrive by post or come with newspapers and magazines.

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Scams aimed at businesses

Current scams aimed at businesses.

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Be Scamwise!

South Gloucestershire Council’s Trading Standards Service have produced some guidance leaflets and...

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Internet and email scams

The variety of email scams is ever increasing, as is their genuine and professional appearance....

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Scamnesty 2011

South Gloucestershire Trading Standards is supporting the Office of Fair Trading's 'Scamnesty'...

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Scams - clothing collections

Trading Standards have seen an increase in the number of complaints received about clothing...

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