Tool targeting scammers

Residents in Monklands who suspect they may be being targeted by scammers have accesss to a crucial tool to help combat the fraudsters.

The free to use Scamwatch service allows consumers to report suspected scams and suspicious activity, including online, telephone and doorstep scams.

Scamwatch also lets people and businesses enter basic information on an online form about the scam, and they can remain anonymous.

Intelligence gathered by Advice Direct Scotland, which runs consumeradvice. scot in partnership with the Scottish Government, will then be used to assist Trading Standards Scotland and other authorities to take enforcement action.

There has been a sharp rise in scamming activity in Scotland during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fraud was 72 per cent higher in September last year than in 2019, according to the most recent official data, although methodology changes mean this cannot all be attributed to coronavirus.

Andrew Bartlett, chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland, said: “Scams impact people in Scotland every day, sometimes costing them thousands of pounds.

“Reporting a scam to us via the new Scamwatch tool will help us to gather intelligence to protect people across the country. By sharing the information with enforcement agencies, together we can shut out the scammers.

“Our advisers are available to offer free, practical and impartial advice.”

The new service is available at www.scamwatch.scot