Are you scam-aware?

This year’s campaign aims has a particular focus on phone, online, mail and doorstep scams.

The council will be displaying scam awareness posters in its reception areas and on notice boards as well as sharing information on its website, Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Helen Down, team leader of participation and engagement at Cheltenham Borough Council, says: “We’re pleased to support July’s campaign and help make these messages and information easily available to our residents.

“It’s important that people listen to their gut feelings when they are approached and aren’t rushed into making hasty decisions. We hope that the campaign will help our residents protect themselves and their families and friends.”

Norman Gardner, bureau manager from Citizens Advice, continues: “Our central message is that we want people to take a moment, trust their gut instinct so that they can get advice, report scams and tell others about their experiences. And remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is - you can't win a prize if you haven't entered a competition.”

Cllr Flo Clucas, cabinet member for healthy lifestyles at Cheltenham Borough Council, says: “Never give your details to anyone you don't know, no matter how nice they sound. Just remember, ‘don't give your dough to someone you don't know’.”

Notes: Each year millions of people in the UK fall prey to scammers. Sometimes the impact is ruinous with people losing their savings in the space of a telephone conversation, the click of a mouse or the stroke of a pen.

Some scams may not be so financially damaging but can still leave people with a sense of emotional loss as well as undermine consumer confidence.

Find out more about regular and emerging scams on the Action Fraud website: www.actionfraud.police.uk This includes a section with a tool for statiscial breakdown of frauds by county: www.actionfraud.police.uk/fraud-statistics

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/actionfraud

On Twitter follow @Actionfrauduk