MP backs Police warning on STOCKPORT PHONE SCAM

Andrew Stunell MP has reinforced Police warnings of a phone scam which aims to defraud the elderly and the vulnerable of their life savings.

Over the past two years 'Courier Fraud' has claimed 2,229 victims, most of whom were elderly. Police estimates show that consumers have been defrauded out of millions of pounds, with one victim alone losing £155,000.

Commenting, Andrew said -

"The Police figures show that over a hundred people in Stockport have been victims of this scam in the last year. It can be heart-breaking and costly to find you've been ripped off, so following police advice and never ever sharing your contact details or bank information with strangers is vital."

Now Mr Stunell is asking Ministers in Whitehall to get banks, phone companies and the Police to work together to step up protection for elderly and vulnerable residents.

"Once the scam has happened there is very little chance of ever getting your money back, so prevention has to be the priority."

New figures reveal over 22,000 reports of scams were made to the Citizens Advice service in England and Wales over the last 12 months.

It is estimated that UK consumers lose about £3.5 billion to scams each year. This is why Andrew Stunell MP is urging Stockport residents to take careful note of the following steps to protect themselves:

• Never give out contact details like your name, phone number or address to strangers or to people who should have this information already.
• Never give financial information or details of your identity, bank accounts or credit card to strangers or to businesses that should already hold your details.
• Shred anything with your personal or bank details on - don't just throw it away.
• If in doubt, don't reply. Bin it, delete it or hang up.
• Persuasive sales patter? Just say: "No thank you."
• Resist pressure to make a decision straight away.
• Never send money to someone you don't know.

More detail on the scam can be found here: http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2013/03/police-warning-over-bank-card-courier-scam/