Scams

Scams can be defined as: an illegal plan for making money, especially one that involves tricking people - Cambridge dictionary a stratagem for gain; a swindle - Collins dictionary a trick, a ruse; a swindle, a racket - Oxford English dictionary

“Mass Marketing Fraud (scams) is a type of fraud, which aims to make victims part with their money by promising cash, prizes, services and high returns on investment” SFO (Serious Fraud Office)

To get victims hooked and responding to scams, criminals rely on…

1) The fact that it doesn’t take much time to respond 2) The fact that it doesn’t need vast amounts of money to get started

Just a trickle of money, ten pounds here, five pounds there…

Anyone can be a scam victim Your mum or dad Your grandparents Your brother or sister Your friends Your neighbour Or even the person sitting right next to you!

This problem is growing A 2015 Which? survey found that 54% of respondents have been personally exposed to a scam in the last 2 years, or have a friend or family member who has This is only going to get worse

Once a victim has responded to an initial scam…

…their personal details are added to a “Suckers” list…

…these “Suckers” lists are perpetually shared and sold on to other scammers…

…who will repeatedly target the victim with scam mail, multiple phone calls, and will even send somebody to knock on their door…

…in order to con, mislead, intimidate…

…and bully the victim into parting with their life savings.

The victims get caught in a trap; a cycle of victimisation.

Ultimately, the scam victim SUFFERS IN SILENCE.

Everyday, people get caught out by scams such as…

Lottery & Prize draws Phishing 1 Investment Direct transfers 1 Pensions

Leading to situations like these…

One victim was found to have been receiving 30 bits of mail and 10 phone calls per day It was later discovered she had lost over £1 Million

The National Trading Standards Scams Team estimates a loss of between £5 – 10 BILLION to Mass Marketing Fraud every year…

…not to mention the cost of looking after people who give away their life savings to these criminals.

Sadly, these victims are not going to win a foreign lottery or receive the millions of pounds that are “waiting” for them… (For a small fee)

…instead, they will be repeatedly targeted...

…and the victimisation will only stop when...

…the victim runs out of money, someone intervenes, or the victim passes away.

As you can see…

…the problem is massive…

…but that’s why the National Trading Standards Scams Team exists. To give a voice to those “silent” victims

About the NTSST The National Scams Team (NST) is a project funded by the National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) and hosted by East Sussex Trading Standards Service

Aims of the NTSST IDENTIFY victims of Fraud PREVENT victims from further victimisation INVESTIGATE criminal activity EDUCATE Local Authorities and other agencies on how to work with scam victims

Working with LAs The NTSST has approached over 200 Local Authority Trading Standards Services nationally

240,000 potential victims and increasing weekly 13 suckers lists 35 national partners who send referrals What do the NTSST do?

Delivering tangible outcomes Victim Feedback

£17,950, Estimated Detriment to consumers £ Estimated per victim £15,590, Estimated Savings to consumers as result of intervention £ Estimated per victim Identifying victims

A picture tells a 1,000 words

“I lost my wife 10 years ago I was lonely” ”I get up, I wait for the post, I sort it, I go to bed. What else have I got? I might as well be dead” “I hope I win, so I can move to a home. I want some one to talk to” They ring me every day because I'm the big winner” I don’t get out, because I'm frightened. But these letters are all the company I ever get” Mr K – His Story

Scams Toolkit: A holistic guide to mail fraud Released Edition 1 of the Scams Toolkit in April 2015 Designed to assist LA’s in their work with consumers who are at risk of scam victimisation

Training programme agreed with Royal Mail Delivery staff trained to identify potential scam victims Joint working with Royal Mail and Local Authorities 2355 staff trained Royal Mail WTLL

Seizure of Post – Over 110,000 bits of mail has been seized along with an excess of 150,000 cheques Enforcement– Establishing law enforcement contacts abroad Partnership & Disruption –The key to our success Investigations

Mail Marshals

Call Blocker Project 100 Call Blockers Working with 40 Local Authorities 61 trials completed / 11 ongoing 95% % of all calls received were scam /nuisance of calls scam /nuisance calls blocked

Bournemouth University Research Does early intervention with scam victims allow them to remain independent and living in their own homes longer than victims who receive later or no intervention? of all calls received were scam /nuisance

Defining a victim and how many victims there are Cost to victims, NOT just financial How do mass marketing databases work Developing good practice guides and advice for professionals working in this field and for vulnerable citizens and their families/carers Look at the law enforcement landscape Bournemouth University Research

Questions???