Scams

Scams

1Scams can be defined as:

an illegal plan for making money, especially one that involves tricking people - Cambridge dictionary

a stratagem for gain; a swindle - Collins dictionary

a trick, a ruse; a swindle, a racket- Oxford English dictionary

2Mass Marketing Fraud (scams) is a type of fraud, which aims to make victims part with their money by promising cash, prizes, services and high returns on investment

SFO (Serious Fraud Office)

3To get victims hooked and responding to scams, criminals rely on41) The fact that it doesnt take much time to respond2) The fact that it doesnt need vast amounts of money to get started5Just a trickle of money, ten pounds here, five pounds there6Anyone can be a scam victim

Your mum or dadYour grandparentsYour brother or sisterYour friendsYour neighbour

Or even the person sitting right next to you!7This problem is growing

A 2015 Which? survey found that 54% of respondents have been personally exposed to a scam in the last 2 years, or have a friend or family member who has

This is only going to get worse

8Once a victim has responded to an initial scam9their personal details are added to a Suckers list10these Suckers lists are perpetually shared and sold on to other scammers11who will repeatedly target the victim with scam mail, multiple phone calls, and will even send somebody to knock on their door12in order to con, mislead, intimidate13and bully the victim into parting with their life savings.14The victims get caught in a trap; a cycle of victimisation.15Ultimately, the scam victim SUFFERS IN SILENCE.16Everyday, people get caught out by scams such as17Lottery & Prize drawsPhishing1Investment

Direct transfers1Pensions18Leading to situations like these19

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21Leading to situations like these

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One victim was found to have been receiving 30 bits of mail and 10 phone calls per day

It was later discovered she had lost over 1 Million23The National Trading Standards Scams Team estimates a loss of between 5 10 BILLION to Mass Marketing Fraud every year24not to mention the cost of looking after people who give away their life savings to these criminals.

25Sadly, these victims are not going to win a foreign lottery or receive the millions of pounds that are waiting for them(For a small fee)26instead, they will be repeatedly targeted...27and the victimisation will only stop when...28the victim runs out of money, someone intervenes, or the victim passes away.29As you can see30the problem is massive31but thats why the National Trading Standards Scams Team exists.To give a voice to those silent victims32About the NTSSTThe National Scams Team (NST) is a project funded by the National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) and hosted by East Sussex Trading Standards Service

33Aims of the NTSSTIDENTIFY victims of FraudPREVENT victims from further victimisationINVESTIGATE criminal activityEDUCATE Local Authorities and other agencies on how to work with scam victims

34Working with LAs

The NTSST has approached over 200 Local Authority Trading Standards Services nationally35240,000 potential victims and increasing weekly 13 suckers lists 35 national partners who send referrals

What do the NTSST do?36Delivering tangible outcomes

Victim Feedback3717,950,690.27 Estimated Detriment to consumers 971.99 Estimated per victim

15,590,713.80 Estimated Savings to consumers as result of intervention844.20 Estimated per victim

Identifying victims38A picture tells a 1,000 words

A crime without Blood 39I lost my wife 10 years ago I was lonelyI get up, I wait for the post, I sort it, I go to bed. What else have I got? I might as well be deadI hope I win, so I can move to a home. I want some one to talk toThey ring me every day because I'm the big winnerI dont get out, because I'm frightened. But these letters are all the company I ever get

Mr K His Story

40Scams Toolkit: A holistic guide to mail fraudReleased Edition 1 of the Scams Toolkit in April 2015Designed to assist LAs in their work with consumers who are at risk of scam victimisation

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Training programme agreed with Royal MailDelivery staff trained to identify potential scam victimsJoint working with Royal Mail and Local Authorities2355 staff trainedRoyal Mail WTLL

42Seizure of Post Over 110,000 bits of mail has been seized along with an excess of 150,000 cheques

Enforcement Establishing law enforcement contacts abroad

Partnership & Disruption The key to our success

Investigations43Mail Marshals

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Call Blocker Project100 Call BlockersWorking with 40 Local Authorities61 trials completed / 11 ongoing

95%15897

42%of all calls received were scam /nuisanceof calls scam /nuisance calls blockedof calls scam /nuisance calls blocked45

Bournemouth University ResearchDoes early intervention with scam victimsallow them to remain independent and living in their own homes longer than victims whoreceive later or no intervention?

of all calls received were scam /nuisance46Defining a victim and how many victims there areCost to victims, NOT just financial How do mass marketing databases workDeveloping good practice guides and advice for professionals working in this field and for vulnerable citizens and their families/carersLook at the law enforcement landscape

Bournemouth University Research

48Questions???49TimeHans ZimmerInception (Music From The Motion Picture), track 12/12, disc 1/12010Soundtracks275637.03eng - Amazon.com Song ID: 217199319