Newark woman on fraudsters' national list of people vulnerable to postal scams

A Newark woman is among 260 Nottinghamshire residents who have been regularly targeted by scammers encouraging them to enter bogus competitions and special offers.

The residents are on a national list used by postal scammers to receive advice and support from Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottinghamshire Police to break the cycle.

A Trading Standards officer and Police Community Support Officer are visiting people on the list to encourage them to ignore letters about scam competitions, health cures, clairvoyants and services to protect them from coming to harm.

A list of 10,000 people across the UK shared by scammers was unearthed by the Metropolitan Police and shared with local councils and police forces via the National Scambusters team.

Mrs Elizabeth Booth, 66, from Newark, was one of the people on the local list and received a recent visit from a PCSO.

Mrs Booth has a spinal condition that affects her mobility and used to respond to competitions that required £20 entry fees to win prizes worth thousands of pounds. She lost a total of £600 and did not win anything.

She said: “It’s terrible to think that I was on this list as I hadn’t entered a competition in over 16 years but it explains why I still get lots of junk mail offering prizes and the like.

“I was having money difficulties at the time and the letters seemed so genuine, but in the end I realised it was a con.

“The advice that I got from the PCSO was fantastic and she informed me of lots of ways that I can cut down on the junk mail and unwanted phone calls.

“It also reminded me not to be taken in by these scams – I can see how easy it’s to be fooled especially if you are older or are having money problems.”

Councillor Glynn Gilfoyle, chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council’s community safety committee, said: “Many of the people on the list are vulnerable older people who respond to junk mail without realising that they are signing up to a scam.

“Loneliness is often an issue – they look forward to mail coming through their letterbox and sign up to the latest competition or special offer to break up their day.

“We are trying to raise awareness about scams with this vulnerable group and spot any issues in their lives where they need help and support in a bid to break the vicious cycle they are in.”

Nottinghamshire Police’s Crime Prevention manager Sam Hancock said: “These sorts of scams are not going to go away. Offenders prey on people via their letter boxes, telephones and the Internet and, as such, invariably originate from all corners of the globe. The best way for us to tackle the problem is to raise awareness of it so that people recognise the tactics used by fraudsters and can avoid falling victim to the scams.

“We are particularly keen for people to look out for those relatives, friends or neighbours who could be vulnerable to this sort of exploitation. Ensure they are aware of the advice on offer and above all be particularly wary of sharing their bank details or money with unsolicited companies, especially if they are asking for it to enable you to enter a competition or to pay a fee to collect a prize.

“For further advice on how to recognise and stop the scammers visit our website at www.nottinghamshire.police.uk/site-page/fraud”

One resident who received a visit was spending £700 a month on bogus competition entries, not realising they were not genuine.

The council and police work with the victims’ families to make them aware of their relatives’ actions and help put care and support in place if they are struggling on their own or are caring for their partner.

If loneliness is an issue the council will put them in contact with local charity Jigsaw, which runs a befriending service for older people.

People can reduce unsolicited mail by registering with the Mailing Preference Service by calling 0845 7034 599 or visiting www.mpsonline.org.uk

Likewise, unsolicited telephone calls can be reduced by calling 0845 070 0707 or visiting www.tpsonline.org.uk

Residents concerned that a friend or neighbour is a victim of a scam should contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 04 05 06.