Scam alert campaign

A NEW nationwide campaign to Shut out Scammers has been launched to combat a rise in doorstep scams linked to the cost of living crisis.

The campaign by Trading Standards Scotland and Police Scotland aims to raise awareness of the misselling of energy efficiency measures, doorstep crime, rogue trading scams and other forms of financial harm to which consumers are susceptible.

The campaign aims to empower consumers rather than make them fearful and to encourage the reporting of doorstep crime.

Rogue traders and companies may attempt to exploit the cost of living crisis and scam consumers by providing misleading information about products and services and posting misleading adverts and reviews online.

In addition to more traditional doorstep scams reported during the summer months, with rogue traders offering to carry out home maintenance, gardening work or services such as gutter cleaning or pressure washing, fraudsters have adapted their methods to take advantage of consumers’ anxieties and uncertainties around the cost of living crisis.

The Shut out Scammers campaign will run from

April 25 to May 22.

Detective Superintendent Dave Ferry, depute chair of Police Scotland’s acquisitive crime tactical board, said: “Typically, door-step criminals look to fraudulently represent tradespeople so that they can gain access to your home where they look to steal items of value which can include your personal information that they can then use for financial gain.

“The Shut out Scammers campaign aims to bring these scams to the public attention so that communities are informed and feel empowered to question cold-callers and turn away anyone whose identity they do not feel is genuine.

“We have a range of useful advice on our website aimed at protecting the public from doorstep criminals and rogue traders and this can be viewed by visiting www. scotland.police.uk.”