Derbyshire Scam Watch is a project funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Derbyshire.
The aim is to raise awareness, particularly amongst older residents, of the potential harmful effects of mass-marketing, internet, doorstep and telephone scams and to provide one to one advice and support where potential scam/fraud victims are identified.
Scammers buy a mailing list with your details on it or you have responded to a survey, tempting letter, phone call or advertisement. Scammers make a list of all the people they have tricked. These lists are called 'suckers lists'.
They sell them to other scammers all over the world.
Your criminal mail and phone calls will start to increase as more scammers try their luck at getting their hands on your cash.
Scammers are very crafty people, they know how to get into minds. Someone whose mind has been 'dazzled' will become excited and start to focus on the prize, rather than the fact that they are being asked to send cash or personal details to claim it.
Below are just a few words and statements that scammers use:
To make the scams even more convincing, some put 'THIS IS NOT A SCAM!' on their letters, or say this over the phone to victims.
Yes, it is! This is serious, organised crime.