Citizens Advice Scotland, Citizens Advice and Trading Standards Services are leading activities throughout the month of May in the fight-back against scammers – giving consumers the information, skills and confidence to spot and stop scams. This week, online fraud is highlighted with some examples of current scams to be on the look-out for below.

Online shopping and auction scams – internet shoppers get lured into
buying phantom cars, mobile phones, pets or anything else you can buy
online. Scammers use a range of tricks including bogus websites, spoof 
payment services and a nasty new variation called “second chance offers”, 
tempting losing bidders with bogus opportunities. Online
property market places are also infiltrated by scammers harvesting
legitimate property details and posing as landlords.

Dating scams – using online dating websites scammers groom victims into
long-distance relationships using emails, instant messaging, texting and
phone calls. Once they are confident of the victim’s trust, scammers will
tell them about a problem they are experiencing and ask for financial help.

You can get online consumer advice and information at:

www.adviceguide.org.uk/scotland.htm 

or phone the Citizens Advice Consumer service 08454 04 05 06 for advice.

Check the Action Fraud alerts to common scams/frauds

www.actionfraud.police.uk/news