scams presentation

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What is a scam?

• scams are schemes designed to con you out of cash
• they come in many forms
• there are many different approaches
• 'there's a scam for everyone'

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What are the main scams?

• fake foreign lottery
• deceptive prize draw or sweepstake
• get-rich-quick schemes
• investment scams
• miracle cures
• clairvoyant scams

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How much is lost to scams?

• According to Office of Fair Trading research
• UK consumers lose an estimated 3.5 billion to
  scams every year
• average amount lost per victim is 850
• equivalent to around 70 per year for each adult
  living in the UK

• According to Office of Fair Trading research
• UK consumers lose an estimated 3.5 billion to
  scams every year
• average amount lost per victim is 850
• equivalent to around 70 per year for each adult
  living in the UK

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Where do the loses occur?

• According to Office of Fair Trading research
• 1.2 billion to bogus holiday clubs
• 490 million to high risk investment scams
• 420 million to pyramid and get-rich-quick
  schemes
• 260 million to fake foreign lotteries

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How large is the problem?

• According to Office of Fair Trading research
• almost half the UK adult population has been
  targeted by a scam
• 3.2 million adults - 1 in every 15 people - fall
  victim to scams each year
• highest percentage of victims is aged between
  35-44

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What are the long term effects?

• According to Office of Fair Trading research
• people can end up losing their life savings to
  scammers
• around a third of victims fall prey to another
  scam within 12 months
• victims' details are added to so-called 'suckers
  lists' which are sold to other fraudsters
• victims may also suffer from stress, relationship
  and health problems brought on by losing money

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How to avoid being scammed

• don't be pressured into doing anything
  immediately
• if you receive an offer that sounds too good to
  be true from someone you dont know, think very
  carefully
• if you're unsure speak to family or friends
• if you do lose money to a scam always report it
  to the authorities. They may not be able to get
  your money back but they can help stop others
  falling victim

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