Police are urging residents to fight back against scammers

Over the past year, 350 county residents have reported being targeted by scams.

Kirsty Toyne, senior trading standards officer, said: “Scammers usually target our most vulnerable residents and will try every trick in the book to swindle cash from them.

“In many case this is thousands of pounds.

“We are working hard to visit those who have been placed on what has become commonly known as the ‘suckers list’.

“We are working closely with other key partnership agencies including Lincolnshire Police, the Wellbeing Teams, Lincolnshire Carers, Age UK and many others to help protect vulnerable people in our community.”

The National Trading Standards Scams Team estimates only five per cent of scams are reported but the reality is at least one in 20 people fall victim to criminals who cleverly engineer scams such as bogus worldwide lotteries, “Free” prize draws guaranteeing you win luxury items, fake Clairvoyants with physic abilities to change your world, catalogues selling expensive rubbish to draw you into competitions, inheritance fortunes from long lost relatives and sweepstakes worth thousands!

In Lincolnshire, Trading Standards officers and the Police are working together to safeguard more than 1,600 vulnerable residents, who are known to have been targeted by criminal networks who are operating in sending scam mail.

A recent visit revealed a retired businessman who was sending approx. £120 a week to scammers. Safeguarding measures were taken by working closely with key safeguarding agencies such as the Home Independent Agency, his bank and Revive Volunteers through the Police. He is now on a pathway to having the support he needs to improve his overall wellbeing.

Help us raise awareness. If you, or you believe any of your family, friends or neighbours are engaging with scam mail WE NEED TO KNOW! Together we will beat the scammers and stop them in their tracks.