Don't fall for scammers during pandemic, urges Lincolnshire Trading Standards

Lincolnshire Trading Standards and Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue have joined the Scams Awareness Fortnight campaign to highlight the growth in scams during the coronavirus pandemic.

Running this week (June 15 to 28), Trading Standards will be sharing lots of advice on how residents can help protect themselves from scammers.

Andrew Turner, scams awareness and prevention officer from Lincolnshire Trading Standards, said: "One of the best ways to protect yourself, is to ask yourself 'could it be a scam?'. Keep that in the back of your mind; don't be panicked or rushed into decisions, and take a moment to verify, or seek advice from a source you can trust.

"If you do fall victim to a scam, never be too embarrassed to report it. Reports help us track down the criminals and protect others."

To help you identify a scam, look out for the following warning signs:

*It seems too good to be true – like an email saying you’ve won a competition you don’t remember entering

*Someone you don’t know contacts you unexpectedly

*You’re being urged to respond quickly – not giving you time to verify anything or talk to family and friends

*You've been asked to pay in an unusual way – for example by bank transfer or gift vouchers

*You’ve been asked for personal information, including bank details or social media account details

You can find Lincolnshire Trading Standards on Facebook and Twitter. For further advice and guidance, or to report a scam, visit the Citizens Advice website here and search for 'scams', or call the consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.