Trading Standards: Working to Combat Scams The Ongoing Work of the Glamorgan Group
The Glamorgan Group • Bridgend, Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan (Shared Regulatory Services) • Merthyr Tydfil • Neath Port Talbot • Rhondda Cynon Taf • Swansea
Case Studies Sarah Smith Shared Regulatory Services
Courier Fraud / Voucher Scam • Cold call following PPI online claim • £380 in gaming vouchers requested • Caller to return with money CACS, TS and SWP alerted • • Officers attended • Caller requested voucher code Officer assistance prevented loss and provided • assurance and advice
NTS Scams Team Referral • Scam mail responder – cheque to return • Visit to family – only recently found out • Didn’t know what to do or where to go for help • Person now in residential home • Significant amount of scam mail responded to • Also received numerous scam telephone calls • Believed he was going to win
Investment Scam • Vulnerable victim with mental health issues • £65,000 paid in 5 instalments over 3 months • Caller provided information to tell banks • High end purchases – Car, family holiday • Family support and LPA • Call blocker installed, stickers, bank assistance • Prevention but not redress – MONEY GONE
Education & Training Rhys Harries Swansea
Staff External Organisations • Police and PCSOs Councillors • Victim Support • • HMO Staff Banks • • Housing Officers • Neighbourhood Watch • Sheltered Housing Managers • Housing Associations Social Services • • Age Cymru • Area Coordinators • Red Cross Feedback: Very informative thought provoking and interesting. Fantastic talk amazing points raised and info given thank you. Very interesting & informative & engagingly presented. Thanks.
Scams Awareness & FAS Presentations to Community Groups Swansea Trading Standards has over the past several years provided talks to a number of Community Groups. We have provided Pop-up Shops in Local Banks and community events, Over-50s and local MP and Cllr events raising Scam Awareness and offering advice. The Chairperson's details are added to a Swansea Trading Standards ‘Scams Network’ where they are updated via email of new Scams targeting the area.
Support and Advice Providing training and talks has resulted in a number of referrals to Trading Standards in addition to those received from the National Scams Hub. We have undertaken joint visits with Social Services, Police, Local Area Coordinators and Victim support as a result of training where they have identified a vulnerable person who has been scammed. During a pop-up shop at one of our Local Banks, an elderly lady visited the bank to withdraw money to send via Western union for a Lottery Scam. ‘Scams Network’: We have built up a number of contacts who we can inform via e-mail any new or live scams targeting local residents, so that they can cascade this information in the work place or via their community groups.
Call Blockers Judith Parry Rhondda Cynon Taf
Those Targeted by Scams Total potential Local Authority victims 1 Carmarthenshire 753 2 Rhondda Cynon Taf 598 3 Cardiff 587 4 Powys 548 5 Swansea 524 6 Conwy 481 7 Vale of Glamorgan 479 8 Gwynedd 468 9 Neath Port Talbot 412 10 Pembrokeshire 412
TrueCall Installation Project • Consumer at risk of responding to Scam call • NTS Project for persons with Dementia • Connected benefits • Data feeds into Financial Exploitation Safeguarding Scheme (FESS) ▫ Identifies that partner communication is inconsistent • GDPR issues to ensuring person gets all the help they need
Obstacles & the Future Lucas Williams Neath Port Talbot
Obstacles • Variety of agencies offering support • Who to report a scam to • Fragmentation • Legislative obstacles • Communication
The Future • Clear referral paths needed • Clarity of roles • Points of contact within each agency • Agreed protocols for referring between agencies • New technology / new scams
Thank you for listening Any questions?
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