Scam victims urged to come forward to build bigger picture

MON CC’s trading standards officers have issued a report suggesting that our residents are more likely to be victims of scams and related fraud than many other areas of the country – but a major sticking point is a lack of information about how extensive this type of crime really is. The county has been identified by Age Cymru as being at particular risk due to its older population and associated high frequency of dementia along with rural isolation – and 2011 census figures indicate the current aged percentage of population is set to rise. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Clearly, there is a need to safeguard and protect the vulnerable. Mon CC Trading Standards service leader Gareth Walters has appealed to anyone who falls victim to a scam or knows someone affected to report it to his team. This will allow trading standards officers to build intelligence on the scale of scamming and to combat fraudsters. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Gareth said: “Despite the good work going on across the country, research shows that only about 5% of scam victims are actually known. We continue to work with national colleagues but it is vital that information is shared as widely as possible so all victims can be identified and helped. Our work to date has shown that victims come from all walks of life – those with financial stability as well as those without and from different backgrounds, including retired police officers.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He continued: “The team and I are keen to ensure that this message is shared and spread to all residents, so any opportunity to speak with individuals or groups in Monmouthshire would be welcomed. If you, or anyone else, have any concerns please contact us. All cases are handled in the strictest confidence but the intelligence is vital to enable us or national regulators to bring criminal sanctions and ensure that those behind the scams are prevented from creating further misery.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Contact Advice, Interventions & Intelligence Officer Sue Hollin – SusanHollin@monmouthshire.gov.uk – or telephone 01633 644223 for details. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​