Jemiel Benison on financial safety

Rather like puppies, scams aren’t just for Christmas. They are a pain all year round.

From dodgy doorstep callers who happen to be passing and notice your property has a problem they can fix at a bargain price, to someone on the phone or internet explaining that they’re the bank or tax man and need your bank details confirmed to get your refund. 

Scammers want our money for nothing, and anything else they can rip off for free. They will stoop to romance and intimacy scams and blackmail to get it, irrespective of the consequences to us and the people we hold dear.  

It is an industrial enterprise with well-rehearsed techniques conveying personal charm, or authority, with technical expertise in faking the real thing whether it’s workmanship, documents or internet links. They can potentially lead your money where they want it to go.  

So, what can we do about it? Thankfully we are not helpless. And the new year is as good a time as any for all of us to remind ourselves to take stock of the resources we collectively have to fight against scams. 

First of all, vigilance. It’s true that scams are more sophisticated than ever, but that doesn’t mean that there’s anything inevitable about falling into their trap.   

The good news is that there’s more cross-agency work going on in fighting scams today than there has ever been. The police, Action Fraud and consumer agencies – including Citizens Advice Scotland – are all working together to raise awareness of common scams and to track down perpetrators.  

If a scam has happened, support is available from any of these agencies. They can help with ways to protect yourself and resume normal service and, in some circumstances, potentially get your money back.  

Secondly, scams can be extremely emotionally upsetting. But the important thing to remember is that you are not alone and that you can get support from appropriate organisations. We know that great strides have been made in recent years in breaking down the stigma that often comes with being caught out by a scam. It’s taken a long time, but people finally seem to be coming to the realisation that the only shame that should come with a scam should attach to the perpetrator, not the person hit. 

And finally, a key takeaway I want everyone to know: please report all scams. By doing this, the scam and the scammer can be put on the radar of the police and other agencies who may be able to warn others and indeed charge the perpetrator.     

So, how do you access the information and support you need at the right time? Our website https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/consumer/scams/ has all the information you need on how to check if something is a scam, how to report it, and how to warn others. For example, how to support any elderly relatives or neighbours you may be concerned about. 

Or of course you can contact any one of our 59 CABs in Scotland. As ever the CAB network is here to help, and our service is confidential free and independent.  

Jemiel Benison is part of the Financial Health team at Citizens Advice Scotland.

This column was first published in the Herald www.theherald.co.uk