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Age Cyrmru is the new force combining Age Concern Cymru and
Help the Aged in Wales. Age Cymru is a member of the Age UK family.
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Published on 21 January 2011 11:00 AM
A QUARTER (25%) of Welsh adults have been the victims of telephone frauds, online scams, credit card rackets, doorstep deceptions or holiday hoaxes.
That’s according to statistics issued today by Age Cymru.
The survey also reveals that:
• Almost half (46%) of Welsh adults have received post, a phone call or an email which they thought was part of a scam;
• A third of Welsh adults (33%) were targeted by postal, phone or email scams last year;
Age Cymru Elder Abuse Programme Manager, Louise Hughes says:
“These figures clearly demonstrate how widespread frauds and scams have become in Wales.
“They give a valuable insight into the many different types of frauds and scams - from online, credit card and the telephone scams that criminals use to target people.
“According to the Office of Fair Trading, over £3.5 billion is lost by UK consumers to scams each year and knowing about the tactics that criminals use can help us protect ourselves from becoming a victim.”
Age Cymru is today reminding older people about how protect themselves from scams by issuing the following top tips:
1. If it seems too good to be true, it generally is too good to be true;
2. If you haven’t entered a competition, you can’t have won a large cash prize;
3. People who are genuine do not ask for money in advance;
4. If you are unsure, or it doesn’t feel right, don’t respond – throw it away, hang up the phone and don’t reply to texts or emails;
5. Nothing bad will happen if you don’t send a so-called psychic any money. They send the same letter to thousands of people telling them the same thing;
6. Offers of large amounts of money from abroad are only made to get you to send them your bank and personal details so they can steal from your account;
7. Speak to a friend, relative, local Age Concern or Consumer Direct if you are concerned about mail you have received;
8. If you are being pressurised to buy on the telephone it is okay to say no and put the phone down;
9. Responding to one item of scam mail can and usually does result in up to a hundred items of this kind of mail being sent directly;
10. Reduce the scams you receive – join the Telephone Preference Service and the Mailing Preference Service (listed in your telephone directory);
A free information guide called ‘Avoiding scams – smart ways to protect yourself’ is available by contacting Age UK Advice on 0800 169 65 65.
ENDS
CONTACT
For all media enquiries, please contact Iwan Rhys Roberts, Communications Officer – Age Cymru on 029 2043 1562, 07739 894 923, iwan.roberts@agecymru.org.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
This year’s Scams Awareness Month runs from 1 February to 28 February.
• Statistics taken from Age UK - Scam Campaign Research: December 2010 by CAPI OmniBus.
• 195 people in Wales, aged 16-90+ took part in this survey.
• 46% of Welsh adults said they have received post, a phone call or an email they thought was part of a scam;
• 33% of Welsh adults said they had been targeted by a scam by post, phone call or email in the last year;
• 25% of Welsh adults said they had actually suffered a scam;
• Of those 25% of people who said they had actually suffered a scam:
o 36% (32 people) had been the victim of a telephone fraud (e.g. you have won... requiring advance fee to claim prize, offering failsafe investment advice or from bank asking you for your bank details);
o 31% (28 people) had been the victim of online fraud (fake bank letters, letters offering access to amazing sums of money or requiring an advance fee to unlock a lottery win);
o 17% (15 people) had been the victim of a holiday scam timeshare or holiday club scam/offer of a free holiday/free seminar during which you are pressurised into a timeshare investment;
o 16% (15 people) had been the victim of a competition win/lottery/scratch card scam;
o 12% (11 people) had been the victim of a bank/cheque/credit card fraud;
o 6% (5 people) had been the victim of a rogue trader selling sub-standard goods/services (e.g. doorstep salesman or dodgy market trader);
o 3% (3 people) had been the victim of a get rich quick workshop (buy the literature/courses to learn how to make a fortune);
Age Cymru:
• Age Cymru is the force combining Age Concern Cymru and Help the Aged in Wales;
• Age affects us all in different ways. We cannot promise good health, but we should be able to ensure good care for all of us. When we find loneliness, we will reach out. When age becomes a burden, we will lighten the load;
• Age Cymru will campaign. We will fundraise. We will research. We will make the powers that be listen;
• Age Cymru is a registered charity 1128436;
• Company limited by guarantee and registered by in England and Wales 6837284;
• Registered office address: Ty John Pathy, 13/14 Neptune Court, Vanguard Way, Cardiff, CF24 5PJ;
• Age Cymru is working in partnership with local Age Concerns;
Set your location to see what Age Cymru offers in your local area.
For all media enquiries about Age Cymru, please contact our Communications Officer, Iwan Rhys Roberts.
07739 894 923
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