Scams Toolkit

Transcription

Scams Toolkit

Scams Toolkit
A holistic guide to mail fraud
Edition 1 | April 2015
Page |2
Contents
Introduction
Scam victim – confirmed
Section 1 – Background to scams
Scam victim – not confirmed
Type of scams
After the meeting
What does scam mail look like?
 Example 1: Lottery scam
 Example 2: Catalogue scam
 Example 3: Prize Draw scam
 Example 4: Clairvoyant / Psychic scam
 Example 5: Inheritance scam
 Example 6: Charity scam
Intervention & follow up visits
 Steps for the victim to take
 Steps for the LA to take
Tactics employed by a scammer
My checklist templates
 Self protection checklist
 Scam mail checklist
 Telephone scams checklist
Who is a victim?
Other agency support
Practical Tools
Why are the elderly targeted?
Case Study
Why do people respond to scams?
Section 3 – Further reading
Impact of scam victimisation
Section 4 – Templates
How to spot a scam victim?
Template 1 - Approach letter
Section 2 – Tools
Template 2 - Victim response form
Identification
 Box 1: Referral Structure Model
 Box 2: Confirmed victim – next steps
Template 3 - Feedback questions checklist
Template 4 - Advice for feedback form
Making the initial visit
Template 5 - Feedback form
Risk assessment
Template 6 - Request to cease mailing
Visits
Section 5 – Frequently Asked Questions
Home visit
Scams Toolkit: A holistic guide to mail fraud | NTSST
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Introduction
The National Trading Standards Scams Team (NTSST) has created, a Scams Toolkit, a holistic
guide to assist Local Authorities (LAs) in their work with consumers who are at risk of scam
victimisation.
Please note: this toolkit is intended for not only Local Authorities, but is guidance for anyone
who deals with scam victims, i.e. police, carers, charities, etc.
It has been designed to provide the information and guidance necessary to enable LAs to
deliver the best possible protection to consumers.
The toolkit is split into 6 sections:
SECTION 1 SECTION 2 SECTION 3 SECTION 4 SECTION 5 -
Background to scams and scam victims
Tools - Provides LAs with practical advice on how to successfully intervene
and protect consumers from scammers
Further Reading section (to gain more insight into scams and scam victims)
Templates
Frequently Asked Questions
Not yet signed up to the NTSST Knowledge Hub?
This toolkit will be made
available on the knowledge
hub and the NTSST will
notify LAs when its
contents are updated.
Do so now to keep up to date with all the latest
news, information and to join the discussion:
https://knowledgehub.local.gov.uk/
And search for ‘National Trading Standards Scams
Team’
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SECTION 1 - Background to scams
A scam is a term used to describe any fraudulent behaviour, business or scheme that takes
money, personal details or other goods from an unsuspecting individual.
Types of scams
There are a wide variety of scams (see http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z_of_fraud)
The type of scams that the NTSST is currently focused on is Mass Marketing Fraud (MMF).
MMF is a crime that exploits mass communication techniques (such as telephone, mail and
digital technologies) to con money out of unsuspecting consumers by making false
promises.
Some different types of scams are outlined below:
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Lottery scam
Catalogue / Prize Draw scam
Clairvoyant / Psychic scam
Inheritance scam
Impersonation of UK Officials
West African 419 Fraud
Fraud Recovery scam
Charity scam
Please note: for the purposes of this toolkit MMF will be referred to as a scam.
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What does scam mail look like?
Scam Mail is designed to look official and authentic. It also uses well known marketing
techniques which make the content highly persuasive.
There are styles within scam mail that are continually used:
For Prize Draws / Lottery wins / Sweepstakes:
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Coats of Arms
Seals
Serial Numbers
Barcodes
Watermarks
Mimeographed signatures
Rubber stampings
For Clairvoyant / Psychic scams:
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Fake photos of ‘psychics’
Spiritual / Religious Imagery
Symbolism
Supernatural objects
Astrology
Occultism
Over the next few pages are some examples of different types of scam mail.
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Example 1 – Lottery scam
Company / Victim’s
details has been removed
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Example 2 – Catalogue scam
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Example 3 – Prize Draw scam
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Example 4 – Clairvoyant / Psychic scam
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Example 5 – Inheritance scam
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Example 6 – Charity scam
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Tactics employed by scammers
In addition to a consumers own motivations, scammers employ strong psychological tactics which
can influence a consumer’s decision making. These psychological tactics are often the same as
marketing strategies adopted by lawful companies to try and compel consumers to purchase their
goods or services.
Some of the tactics employed by scammers:
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Scam mail looks genuine
High value rewards offered
Exploitation of human wants and needs
Personalisation of scams
False timescales
Participants active engagement
Secrecy
Who is a victim?
Anyone can be targeted by scammers regardless of age, gender, education or socio economic
background. However, often it is older people because this group is more likely to possess
characteristics which make them vulnerable to victimisation.
In 2008 an Age UK survey revealed that seven out of ten older people in Britain (around 6.6m
people) are targeted by scams every month through letters or telephone calls. It is worth noting
that the NTSST project has revealed scam victims as young as 22 years old however the average age
of victims is around 75 years old.
Our elderly communities contain some of the most vulnerable individuals, which is why they are
targeted so frequently by scammers.
The following factors may result in an increased risk of scam victimisation, if they:
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Are over 70 years old
Have access to their own funds
Live alone
Have few or no visitors
Often spend the day at home
Are trusting of peoples motives
Own a landline telephone
Have physical or mental health problems
Suffer from a cognitive impairment such as a form of dementia like Alzheimer’s disease
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If such characteristics are identified when assessing an individual, it is important that the consumer
receives all the support and guidance necessary to safeguard them against any possible threat
posed by scammers.
The motivations for why people participate in scams vary widely. It may be because:
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They want to provide a financial gift to their family
They are bored or lonely and want something to do during the day
They are recently widowed or inexperienced in dealing with financial matters
They are in financial hardship
They respond impulsively
They feel pressured to respond
Through habit or a dislike of change
They think it may be worth taking the risk
There will be many other reasons but the list above illustrates that, contrary to popular opinion,
peoples motivations are not based principally or even at all upon notions of greed and financial
gain.
It is paramount that a Trading Standards Officer identifies the root cause of why a consumer likes to
receive scam mail.
Many scam victims do not have the capacity to identify their own victimisation and will continue to
be scammed, which can lead to:
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Loss of independence
Health issues
Decreased self esteem
Estrangement and isolation from family and/or friends
Financial problems, i.e. debt
Lack of self care
Hoarding
Secretive behaviour and telling lies
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Identifying scam victims can be difficult as they:
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May be unaware of their victim status
Are instructed to remain quiet by the scammers
Feel guilt, shame or are in denial
Fear that they will lose their social or financial independence if they tell friends or family
Don’t want to lose their ‘friendship’ with the scammers
There are some key signs to look out for by observing a victim’s behaviour or when visiting their
home:
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High volume of scam mail
Hoard large quantities of ‘worthless’ goods & cheap ‘tat’
Be living in shocking or unsanitary conditions
Poor personal hygiene
Unusual / unexplained bank account activity
Spent a large amount of their life savings
High usage of chequebooks
Frequent visits to the Post Office
Not paying bills or buying food
Deceitful about scam participation
Increasing isolation from friends / family
No support from family / friends or anyone to confide in
Receives a high volume of phone calls
Unable to believe the information they are being given
Become extremely distressed, angry or aggressive to learn that they are a scam victim
Feel ashamed or embarrassed at what they have done
After a period of grooming, have strong emotional ties with the scammer
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SECTION 2 - Tools
This section provides Local Authorities (LAs) with some possible frameworks and practical steps to
adopt when constructing their approach and response to scam victims.
Identification
In order to identify whether an individual is a scam victim the NTSST has developed the following
referral structure (see Box 1).
The NTSST receives information from various sources and passes them to partner LAs, which may
result in the identification of chronic scam victims. If a victim is confirmed the Local Authority will
be tasked with breaking the cycle of victimisation through intervention and support. LAs will refer
to other departments and agencies to ensure that the cycle of victimisation remains broken and the
victim receives sustained support. This can be achieved through Scam Victim Tasking Meetings
(SVTM) (See Box 2).
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Box 1 - Referral Structure Model
Information received by NTSST
NTSST send information to
appropriate LAs
LAs to arrange initial visit to
potential victim
Low Risk category (based
Low Risk category (based
on score)
on score)
LA to carry out
risk assessment
with victim
Medium / High Risk
category (based on score)
Follow up visit / letter to
be sent depending on the
victim’s needs
Victim in need of further
intervention
Or no further action
required
Relevant LA to record status
of victim and disseminate
LAs will analyse data and
SVTM / safeguarding will be
considered. LAs will
coordinate multi
department / agency
response and confirm next
steps
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Box 2 – Confirmed victim – next steps
Consumers assessed as category 2 or 3 on
matrix
Victims identified
LAs to make multi agency referral (Police /
Social Services, etc.)
LAs to arrange SVTM / meeting
One week before SVTM, the victim’s
details will be shared with partners for
cross referencing purposes
Meeting held – victims discussed, actions
plans to be drafted and circulated to group
Follow up meeting to discuss cases /
victims to be scheduled in for future. This
will be at a date agreed by partners
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Making the initial visit
The NTSST recommends face to face visits for the most effective interventions, particularly for the
initial visit.
Due to the nature of these visits, LAs should:
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Review the suitability of their lone working guidelines, where appropriate
Be prepared for distressing environments
Not put themselves in any risk
Be highly sensitive to the victim and employ tact and empathy
Risk assessment
The NTSST has provided the following form as an example to use to risk assess a consumer who is
potentially a scam victim.
This form can be adapted to suit your own policies and procedures or can be modified to your
existing form.
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Risk assessment
Victim’s name:
1. How often do they receive mail / telephone
calls/ both?
5
4
3
1
0
5
4
3
1
0
5
4
3
2
0
5
4
3
2
1
2
0
2
0
3
2
0
3
0
Daily
Weekly
Fortnightly
Occasionally
Never
Daily
Weekly
Fortnightly
Occasionally
Never
Over £10,000
£1,000 - £10,000
£100 - £1,000
Under £100
None
Over 10 years
5 -10 years
2 - 5 years
1 - 2 years
Under 1 year
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
Yes - not local
Yes - local
Yes
No
9. Are there any other vulnerabilities evident?
(e.g. hoarder, victim of other fraud, doorstep
callers etc.)
3
0
Yes
No
10. How affected are they by what has happened?
(e.g. financially, physically, mentally, family
relations etc.)
4
3
2
0
2
0
Affected a great deal
Moderately affected
Affected a little
Not affected
Yes
No
3
2
0
The victim is isolated from people who can offer
support
The victim has a few people to draw on for support
The victim has a close network of people
Please circle
History
2. How often to they send money?
3. How much money have they sent?
4. When did the activity start?
And what triggered it? ( e.g.: death of spouse)
5. Do they live alone?
6. Are they recently widowed?
7. Do they have a contactable next of kin?
And are they local?
Vulnerability
8. Is there any evidence of scams taking place?
11. Do they have any health issues?
( Consider physical and mental health, visual/speech
impairment, mobility etc.)
13. Do they have any support?
Specify: friends / family / professional
TOTAL SCORE:
Standard 0 - 14
Specify amount:
Specify amount:
Specify type(s):
Specify type(s)
Specify:
(maximum score of 42)
Medium 15 - 21
High 22 and above
These scores are there as a guide and should be used in combination with your own judgement of what support and
protection are required in any given situation.
Review the risk based on the information you have, and your own professional judgement –
Person completing:
Date:
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Visits
The NTSST believes that the most effective method for breaking the cycle of scam victimisation is to
carry out repeat visits to a consumer’s home to deliver a sustained message and coach the victim
by teaching them self-empowerment techniques.
The NTSST is aware that it will not always be possible to initially carry out face to face visits. In this
circumstance then a letter could be sent prior to a visit being made (see Template 1).
Home visit
If the consumer is present then:
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Determine if they have received any scam mail
Confirm whether any money has been sent
Complete risk assessment
Complete Feedback Form (see Template 5)
If the victim is not present then:
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Take with you a completed generic letter, Think Jessica leaflet and response form that
requests the resident to contact you regarding any experience of scams
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If the consumer gets in contact then record their details for the NTSST and, if appropriate,
arrange a visit
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If the consumer still fails to get in contact then LAs should attempt another visit
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Scam victim – confirmed
If the LA can confirm that money has been sent, please follow these guidelines:
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Take a conversational approach instead of asking structured questions
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Seek to sensitively obtain more information regarding the scams (e.g. timescales of
victimisation / any contact details of scammers etc.) by asking informal and open questions
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Spend time listening to the consumer; do not judge them
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Present them with different options, but allow and encourage them to make their own
choices
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Refrain from getting frustrated, interrupting them or finishing their sentences
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Use honest, simple and caring language which makes them feel as if they’re being
empathised with and taken seriously:
“That’s a lot of post, you’ve
got there. Could you tell me
when they arrived?”
“Would you like me to help
you look through the post?”
“That’s a lot of cheques
you’ve gone through. I
can’t remember the last
time I even used my
chequebook!”
Scam victim – not confirmed
If it is clear after the first visit that the individual is not a scam victim; then no further action is
required.
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After the meeting
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Leave contact card
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Encourage the victim to contact you after the first meeting if they remember more details
about the things you’ve talked about
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Leave plastic bags / envelopes with the victim to collect future scam mail
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Arrange a follow up visit to provide further support and to collect scam mail
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Destroy scam mail
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Optional: Sort through scam mail to collect any information and share with NTSST (the
NTSST has created an intelligence form for this purpose – to receive this please contact a
member of the NTSST team via email [email protected])
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Optional: discuss with victim if they would consider signing up to be a Mail Marshal, in
which they will be responsible for collecting, recording and returning their scam mail to the
NTSST (contact Cherry Sharp [email protected] for a Mail marshal pack)
Intervention & follow up visits
Every victim’s situation will be different, so it will be down to the LA to determine what support and
guidance will work best for that particular individual.
The following list offers some possible next steps.
Steps for the victim to take:
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Demonstrate to a victim how to identify and dispose of scam mail without opening it and
how to shred their personal and financial information
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Coach them to understand the dangers of giving out their personal or financial information.
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Coach them to confidently handle unwanted telephone calls and how to hang up without
sounding rude
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Create an action plan or checklist for an individual to follow. To empower the victim make
sure you develop this with them (see checklist templates)
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If a victim continues to receive/respond to scam mail or is resistant to accept their
victimisation then encourage them to keep a record of their dealings. This information can
then be used to assist your own work perhaps in recouping money or supporting a
prosecution
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Steps for the LA to take:
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Consider contacting Family / Friends / Neighbours
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If the consumer does not wish you to contact their Family/Friends or Neighbours then
consider a safeguarding alert through Adult Social Care
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Create a network of friends and family who can help to sort and filter out any scam mailings
with the individual, which can then be removed and disposed of
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Create a network of friends and family who can provide advice and guidance regarding any
mail, telephone or email communication they have received
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Request permission to remove any existing scam mail (victim consent required)
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Sign up to the Mail / Telephone Preference Service. Signing up to these services will reduce
the volume of mail and telephone calls. However, its effect on preventing scammers from
contacting the victim will be limited (see User Guides section on the Knowledge Hub)
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Consider a Mail Redirection (see User Guides section on the Knowledge Hub), visit Royal
Mail website for more information: https://www.royalmail.com/personal/receivingmail/redirection
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Consider using a Mail Collection Service, visit the Royal Mail website for more information:
http://www.royalmail.com/general-correspondence/mailroom-management/collections
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Attempt to have the victims details removed from any mailing lists (victim consent required)
(see template 6)
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Ensure that any ongoing charitable donations are being sent to genuine charities. Check the
Registered Charity number against the official Charity Commission’s website
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission
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Propose, if appropriate, a Power of Attorney
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Change bank details (victim consent required)
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Change telephone number (victim consent required) as this can be a very effective way to
break the cycle of victimisation
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Consider the installation of Call Blocking Technology
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Consider if the victim would be an appropriate Mail Marshal and discuss this role and its
responsibilities with the victim. Becoming a Mail Marshal can be very rewarding and
fulfilling, it can sometimes fill the void where the victim previously used the time to respond
to scam mail. Contact Cherry Sharp [email protected] for a more information
and/or a Mail marshal pack
Other agency support
Consider involving other agencies to provide ongoing support:
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Referral to Age UK
Referral to Neighbourhood Watch (Victim Consent Required)
Contact local church or voluntary groups to arrange possible visits.
Referral to Victim Support (Victim Consent Required)
Alert Victims Bank (Victim Consent possibly required)
Referral to Citizens Advice for debt counselling
Benefits Advice
Referral to Action Fraud Submission of 5x5x5 to National Intelligence Hub and/or Regional
SPOC
Refer to a Befriending service, i.e. through Royal Voluntary Service
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Practical tools
The following are guides that may be printed and given to a scam victim to serve as important
reminders. A LA can edit these or use as templates to design their own versions. They should be put
in a prominent place such as on a fridge door or by the telephone.
My checklist templates
Self protection checklist
How can I better protect myself?
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Never give out personal information like my name, phone number, or address to strangers
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Never give out financial information or credit card details to strangers, not even if I’m told
it’s my own bank asking
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Shred anything with my personal or financial details on it.
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Look at every piece of mail and decide if it’s scam mail (using my checklist)
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Destroy and throw away any scam mailings
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If I believe I am still being targeted by criminals then this is what I can do:
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Scams mail checklist
If I am unsure that this mail is a scam I will ask myself the following
questions:
Yes
No
Is the person contacting me a stranger?
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Is the stranger based in the UK?
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Is the letter about winning money or winning a prize?
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Before I receive my prize / gift do I need to send some of my money
first?
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Is the return postal address somewhere abroad?
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Is the stranger urging me to respond quickly?
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Has the stranger told me to keep quiet about my win or good
fortune?
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If I have answered yes to more than 2 questions above then this mail item is a scam and I must
destroy and throw it away immediately
If I have any doubts or am still unsure then I will phone the people below for a second opinion:
Name:
Telephone:
Name:
Telephone:
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Telephone scams checklist
Is this telephone call a scam?

Is the call UNEXPECTED and are they a STRANGER?
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Are they being VAGUE about their identity?
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Are they asking for my PERSONAL information?

Are they asking for my FINANCIAL information?
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Are they asking me to send any MONEY immediately?

Are they RUSHING me to make a decision?
If I am still unsure then I should do the following:
□
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I should NOT give out any information
I should be extremely cautious
I should get details from them. I need their:
NAME:
ORGANISATION:
TELEPHONE NUMBER:
□
If they speak too quickly or are not clear I should ask them to slow down and speak clearer.
□
If I am unable to get their Name, Organisation and Telephone number I should not
continue with the call and should hang up immediately.
BE CONFIDENT and TERMINATE the call immediately.
It is not rudeness to do so.
Think Safety First.
□
If I do get their details I should ask them to call back at another convenient time so that I
can check them out. I should then phone my family / carer / Trading Standards Officer and
give them the details to verify the company.
Name:
Telephone:
Name:
Telephone:
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Case Study
Scam Victim
The National Trading Standards Scams Team referred a potential victim to St Helens Trading
Standards. The Trading Standards Officer made a background check of the potential victim and he
was not known by Adult Social Care, Health Team or Trading Standards.
A visit was made to Mr. B’s home. He is 69 years old and is an educated man and worked as an
engineer until his mid 50’s. He lives alone and is in relatively good health, but his home is in a poor
state of repair and is not terribly clean. The Trading Standards Officer (TSO) found his whole house
full of scam mail.
Mr. B said that he started to receive scam mail 5 to 10 years ago, when he responded to an advert
in the newspaper. It became apparent that he spends his time scrutinising the mail he receives. He
initially told the TSO that he only responds to those which you can return with no obligation to
purchase/ pay. He has the full range of scam mail, mainly prize draws, unclaimed funds, lotteries,
but also clairvoyant.
The TSO estimated that there were at least 3000
letters stacked up in the downstairs of the house. On
the fireplace were a set of letters, which he told the
officer were those he had ready to send back, but he
didn't have the money for the stamps.
The TSO estimated Mr. B has lost more than £20k.
Mr. B is now in financial difficulty he was struggling
to buy food, had unpaid direct debits and bounced
cheques. There were a number of loan application
forms in the house.
The TSO told him quite directly that he needed to
stop responding in any way and registered him with
the Mail Preference Service and she referred him to safeguarding and a social worker visited him.
A second visit was made by the TSO with a Police Officer and they found 50% of the mail had been
cleared. The Police Officer explained to Mr. B that he was effectively funding organised crime. Mr. B
suggested that we need to tell other people and agreed to deliver posters and postcards in his community area and asked the TSO to contact the sorting office and request that they stop delivering
the scam mail to him.
The TSO sent Mr. B posters and postcards and he rang asking for more, as he had more shops and
churches to take them to. Mr. B’s character has completely changed for the better; he is happy and
lively and feels positive about helping others that are in his situation.
P a g e | 29
SECTION 3 - Further reading
Types of scams

Lottery scams
Normally a letter is sent informing the victim that they have won life changing money on an
overseas lottery such as the Spanish, Australian, Canadian or a specific current global event like
the FIFA World Cup. An individual will be required to contact an official and provide their personal
information, such as their passport details (to confirm they are the ‘winner’); a processing, release
or administration fee, commonly less than £50; and their financial information (to directly pay the
winnings into). They will be told to keep their winnings a secret to avoid people trying to ‘scam’
them or pester them for hand-outs and to respond quickly otherwise the money will go back into
the lottery and be added to the next winner’s amount.
The winnings do not exist and the scammer will have obtained a great deal of information to help
perpetrate additional crimes. Quite often more fees will be required, such as a small percentage
of tax for the government, before the winnings can be released and additional exploitation will
occur.

Prize Draw / Catalogue scams
A variation on the Lottery scam. This requires a confirmed winner of a large amount of money to
send fees to release the windfall. Typically the winnings are less than for the lottery and may be
shared by a few other winners.
A variation on the Prize Draw is that a letter and catalogue may be received which requires an
individual to purchase some beauty or food products from the company so that they can be
entered into a prize draw where they will be guaranteed to win. All the individual needs to do to
take part is to purchase some goods. These products are often described as ‘luxury’ and high
quality but are actually overinflated standard or sub-standard items. Although the items do
physically exist they may or may not be received by the individual.

Clairvoyant / Psychic scams
These scams are effectively blackmail. The individual receives a letter from a clairvoyant stating
that wonderful (e.g. a lottery win) or terrible (e.g. a stroke or car crash) things have been seen and
are about to happen to either the individual or a family member. They may be instructed to send
protection money or purchase a ‘lucky’ talisman.
An even darker side of this scam is where a victim is warned that evil spirits exist upstairs and will
get them if they do not keep up protection payments to the clairvoyant. Some victims have been
known to live in constant fear and do not have enough money to pay for electricity and heating
bills.
P a g e | 30

Inheritance scam
Normally a lawyer or official from overseas contacts an individual stating that they have been
processing the Will of a recently deceased person sharing the same last name as the individual.
The scammer states that they have not been able to identify any legitimate relative and so are
proposing that they pay the large inheritance to you and they will take a cut, rather than the
money all going to the government. For obvious reasons the individual is instructed to keep quiet
and act with haste.
The inheritance does not exist, the official or lawyer is bogus and before any inheritance can be
paid into an account administration and / or banking fees are required and some tax will be due.
After these fees are paid there will be complications and the payment of additional fees will be
demanded.

Impersonation of UK Officials
An individual will be contacted by officials of a government department (e.g. HMRC, Ministry of
Justice), agency (e.g. Met Police) or financial institution (e.g. Bank) stating that the individual’s
account has perhaps been used to launder money, is due a tax rebate, PPI refund or hasn’t paid
enough VAT on a previously purchased good.
The criminal’s end game is to obtain the individual’s financial information which will enable them
to empty bank accounts through money transfers or the purchase of goods and services.

West African 419 Fraud
A variation on the Inheritance Scam. The number 419 refers to the article of the Nigerian Criminal
Code dealing with fraud however the scam is used across the world.
A communication is received from a foreign official stating the reason for a large amount of
money that is in need of being transferred out of their country to a safe account for a period of
time. The individual will have been selected for their good credit rating and trustworthiness and
for their assistance will receive a percentage fee of the overall amount. The large deposit will be
transferred out again less the fee at an appropriate time. An individual maybe requested to open
up a new bank account.
No deposit will ever be made and the scammers will instead pursue the individual for transfer or
release fees. Complications will arise resulting in the demand for more fees. The scammers will
press upon the individual the need for discretion and speed. If the individual questions the fees,
scammers will emphasise the small percentage outlay in contrast to the large amount of money
they stand to make for doing a very simple task.
P a g e | 31

Fraud Recovery scam
The Fraud Recovery Scam is used by scammers to perpetrate further misery upon scam victims
who are aware of their victimisation. The scammers pretend to be from a legitimate organisation
who specialise in reclaiming money lost to fraud and will help apprehend the criminal.
They say that they will be able to obtain lost monies for a percentage fee of the overall loss or
through payment of a release fee as the money is held in a Court Trusteeship scheme.

Loss of independence
Everyone cherishes their independence and doesn’t like to think about the day that it might be
taken away. However, scam related crime can often be the catalyst for the end of an individual’s
social and financial independence. In cases where there are no longer any financial means, it is
the State that steps in to provide support with all the associated costs that result.

Health
Realisation that an individual is a victim of scams can cause them huge anxiety and emotional
distress. In cases of clairvoyant scams they may well be forced to live in constant fear without any
understanding of their victimisation. In both situations what should be peaceful and enjoyable
years are instead experienced through fear and apprehension.
Whilst no studies have been carried out it is likely that scam victimisation has contributed to the
early natural passing of many elderly individuals. Tragically, in some cases it has led to individuals
taking their own lives.
News Story 1
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2242985/Jailed-London-based-Nigerianfraudsters-ran-2-7million-lotto-scam-led-murder-suicide.html
News Story 2
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/3444307.stm
P a g e | 32

Self esteem
Once an individual becomes aware of their victimisation their confidence can be badly affected.
An individual may become embarrassed, regretful or ashamed and this can feed into daily life
making them question future judgements. This change in character can also place a strain on
other relationships potentially leading to social isolation. Ultimately, in all cases, a victim will
suffer a lower quality of life.

Wealth
The prime motivation of most, if not all scammers is based upon the pursuit of financial gain.
Potentially an elderly person may have accumulated substantial levels of wealth over their
lifetime in the form of savings, property and other assets. The motivation of many victims
unwitting participation in scams is so they can provide a windfall for their family to clear a
mortgage or fund a grandchild’s university education for instance. As a result they are happy to
utilise their high levels of disposable income to receive the promised windfall.

Availability
It is likely that elderly people are retired and may be less mobile. As a consequence they will
spend a higher proportion of their time at home. This makes it easier for scammers to initially
contact and sustain a period of manipulation.

Awareness
In some cases, an elderly people may suffer from a decline in cognitive functioning, which could
lead to poor decision making thus resulting in a decreased ability to calculate risks. This can make
them particularly vulnerable to scammers who always provide misleading or inadequate
information from the outset.
Cognitive decline does not necessarily need to be linked to the diagnosis of a mental health
problem to leave an elderly person vulnerable to scams.

Isolation
Elderly people can find themselves isolated from their support groups who they rely upon to help
them review decisions. In many cases of scam victimisation, the individual cited that interacting
with the scammer was a way to help fill the void.
P a g e | 33

Scams look genuine
Scammers work hard to make their scams look legitimate and official and therefore, people are
more inclined to trust authority.

High value rewards
By offering life changing money for a relatively small initial outlay, scammers entice victims into
responding. They are encouraged to feel they have little to lose and possibly much to gain.

Exploitation of wants and needs
Scammers prey on the universal human desire to want the most out of life. They offer the
guarantee of great wealth, good fortune, cures for ill health, weight loss and generally a better life
than the one a victim is currently experiencing. As a result less time is spent on checking the
legitimacy of the claim because people naturally want it to be true.

Personalisation
Many people who are targeted by scammers do not realise how easy it is to personalise
correspondence. Equally they are unaware of the amount of information that exists about them
and the ease with which it can be accessed or shared. They falsely give credence to a scam
approach because they believe that a great deal of time has been spent in writing exclusively to
them. They cannot comprehend a scammer would be able to send off hundreds of letters a day.

False timescales
By making false deadlines scammers force victims to react quickly before they have had time to
reflect and properly consider the merits of participation.

Active participation
Scammers encourage the victim to engage from an early stage by making them tick boxes, place
stickers on forms and fill out information. As the victim has now invested their time and money
they are more likely to commit to the relationship. This makes it easier for scammers to request
further sums of money or information.

Secrecy
By promoting an environment of secrecy the scammer prevents a victim from taking advice from
their family and/or friends, which makes them easier to manipulate.
P a g e | 34

High volume of scam mail
One of the most obvious signs is the volume of scam mail being received. Once a victim responds
to a scam they will be added to a ‘victim’s list’ of other respondents and this list is then sold or
shared between other scammers who will each begin to target the victim. Very quickly a victim
will be receiving high levels of scam mail, often to a degree that concealing it is problematic. As a
result, LAs should be alert to visible signs of a victim receiving high volumes of scam mail. Scam
mail may be piled up under desks or tables, in drawers, behind sofas or perhaps upstairs in a spare
room.

Lots of cheap ‘tat’ & hoarding
Hoarding could indicate the presence of psychological issues that put the individual at an
increased risk of scam victimisation.

Poor living conditions / Poor personal hygiene
As victims spend more of their time participating in scams they have less time and inclination to
focus on general household maintenance and cleanliness.

High usage of chequebooks
The logistics of responding to scams entails writing and posting numerous cheques. LAs should
look out for individuals who have a lot of used cheque books. Additionally, the cheque stubs may
provide confirmation of victimisation. Scam victims often believe that the scams are genuine
transactions and so will record them as such

Frequent visits to Post Office
LAs may wish to ascertain whether an individual makes regular visits to the Post Office in order to
purchase stamps. Many scams require cheques to be posted to European destinations such as
Holland or Switzerland which is costly. Is an individual spending a lot of money on stamps?
Evidence may also be found in the quantity of blank envelopes lying around. LAs could visit the
victim’s post office to see how often they visit and to obtain any further information.

Not paying bills or buying food
An individual may have difficulties in paying utility and general household bills. Many scam victims
prioritise the cost of responding to scams at the expense of basic household items. Are the
cupboards and fridge well stocked with food? Is there no heating or hot water? Victims may even
seek loans or try and release equity on their property to keep up with the costs and demands of
scammers. LAs may benefit from making further enquiries at the victim’s bank.
P a g e | 35

Unusual / unexplained bank account activity
A significant amount of information can be obtained from an individual’s financial statements. If
scammers have obtained bank account details then there is an increased chance there will be
recurring unauthorised bank charges caused from scammers attempting to make withdrawals.
There may also be deposits made into their accounts from unknown sources who could be
scammers laundering money with or without the victims knowledge. Has the individual received
or attempted to cash counterfeit cheques?
Have there been successive trips to Money Transfer Services such as Western Union or Money
Gram for no obvious reason? Have they opened several bank accounts, applied for a number of
loans or credit cards for no apparent reason?
News Story 3
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/10658238/Elderly-coupleconned-into-laundering-money-for-gang-that-stole-their-life-savings.html

Deceitful about scam participation
A victim may lie about their participation in scams. LAs should be alert to differences in stories or
events which may give an indication of their victimisation. If an individual initially denies any
problem with scams, LAs should still look for the existence of other signs of scam participation
highlighted in this section. This is one reason why the NTSST always recommends an initial face to
face visit (see section Home Visit).

Secretive about their relationships
Scam victims may be secretive about their acquaintances, particularly any new friendships. To
successfully execute their crimes scammers often instruct victims to keep quiet about their new
relationship. This is to deter would be victims from seeking a second opinion or receiving advice
against continuing with what is most likely a scam.

Increasing isolation from family / friends
Victims may increasingly isolate themselves from their support groups, especially in circumstances
where family/friends have attempted to stop the victim from responding to scam mail. LAs could
ask any family members whether there has been a recent change in their relationship with the
individual.
P a g e | 36

High volume of phone calls
Communication by telephone is another method used by scammers to induce an individual to
participate in scams. Sometimes this is the only means used and sometimes it is in conjunction
with postal mail and instructs them to look out for a specific piece of mail and respond
accordingly. A high volume of calls, including nuisance calls (such as silent, sales and market
survey calls) is strong evidence that the individual’s details are widely available and may even be
given out regularly by the individual. It is likely that where there are a high volume of nuisance
calls there will be a small percentage of scam calls.
Telephone scams
Contacting victims by telephone is a very effective and easy method by which scammers can obtain
personal details or financial information.
Ensuring that victims remain confident and empowered to carry on answering and dealing with
phone calls appropriately should be a key focus for LAs.
Whilst there is effective technology available to screen calls before a consumer actually receives it,
LAs should make an initial assessment whether the installation of this technology is necessary in the
circumstances. Providing advice and guidance to the consumer may be a more effective way to
safeguard an individual from victimisation whilst preserving their sense of independence.
The following information can be used to help a victim feel confident to deal with telephone calls
from people they do not know and may be trying to scam them.
This advice is not to encourage an environment of fear but one of caution. It directs the individual to
change their mind set when dealing with strangers on the telephone. The reality is that an individual
must assume that all cold calls are scammers until the contrary can be proved. This situation is not
ideal but is the best way to safeguard individuals from being scammed.
They should use the following questions as a guide to confirming the legitimacy of the call (see page
26, Telephone scams checklist for details). The more questions the caller fails to appropriately comply
with, the greater the chance that the caller is not legitimate.
A LAs should coach consumers to get in the habit of asking themselves the following questions at the
beginning of all calls:






Is this person a STRANGER?
Is the call UNEXPECTED?
Has the caller provided satisfactory IDENTIFICATION?
Are they RUSHING me?
Are they asking for my PERSONAL information?
Are they asking for my PIN number?
P a g e | 37
SECTION 4 - Templates
Template 1 – Approach letter
Our Ref:
Name and Address
Date:
Dear Mrs Bloggs
I hope you do not mind me contacting you.
In my position as a Trading Standards Officer at {Insert Office} my work involves dealing with mass marketing
scams and fraud. Unfortunately it has come to my attention that many residents within the {Insert} area are
receiving letters and telephone calls informing them that they have won large sums of money in foreign lotteries
and prize draws, amongst other methods.
The reason I am writing to you is to check if you have been contacted recently, by post or in a telephone call, by
anyone promising you that you have won a cash prize. These people are unscrupulous scammers who have no
intention of giving you any prize. They will take your money and may pass your details on to similar fraudsters
who will also contact you with promises of winnings, possibly on official looking paperwork and envelopes.
The people sending these letters belong to organised crime groups who are only after your banking details or
hope to convince you to send a small amount of money in order to claim your prize. I can assure you that the
prize does not exist and the fraudsters will continue to scam you for your money until you have no more
money left to send them or until you realise you are being tricked and stop contacting them.
If you have been receiving letters or telephone calls claiming you have won a prize I would welcome the
opportunity to have a chat with you and if you have kept any letters or responded in any way this information
would be very useful to me in my work in preventing people from being scammed. If you have received such
letters or telephone calls or have any information that could help, I would be grateful if you could contact me at
your earliest convenience.
In the meantime I have enclosed a booklet produced by {Think Jessica or local authority scammer’s booklet}
that you may find of interest.
Thank you for your time.
Yours sincerely
John Smith
Trading Standards
P a g e | 38
Template 2 – Victim response form
Please complete this form by ticking all the boxes that apply to you and
return it in the pre-paid envelope provided.

I do receive letters or phone calls from people about:
 Lotteries
 Prize draws
 Sweepstakes
 Investments
 Clairvoyants

I do not receive letters and phone calls from any of the above
Name: __________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Telephone: ______________________________________________
Mobile: _________________________________________________
Email: __________________________________________________
Thank you for responding
P a g e | 39
Template 3 – Feedback questions checklist
Age
(If not known please
estimate)
Detriment Level
(How much money has been
/ is being sent / lost)
Detail / Comment re money
sent/lost
(Free text box)
Result of the intervention?
(Please tick relevant boxes)
Yes
No
Estimate
£……………………………………………………
Raised Awareness
Reduction in mail
Reduction in money sent/lost
Reduction in both mail and money sent/lost
Individual continues to send the same amount(s)
Individual is no longer responding to the scam(s)
Raised awareness & reduced mail
Raised awareness & reduced money sent/lost
Raised awareness & reduced mail & money sent/lost
All of the above
Money Saved - exact or
estimate
(As result of intervention)
If there was no contact,
why?
(Please tick relevant box)
How is the subject sending
money?
£…………………………………………………….
Deceased
Moved
Cash
Cheque
Online
Over the telephone
Any further invention work
required; please state.
(Free text box)
Details of any other crimes
that victim has suffered?
(Free text box)
Any other info you want to
show
(Free text box)
Not known
Postal Order
P a g e | 40
Template 4 – Advice for feedback form
1) Age? (Known / estimate) (Please estimate the victim’s age if you do not know exactly. This helps
us to measure the age ranges of scam victims nationally)
2) Detriment Level and further comments/details? (E.g. how much money has been/is being sent /
lost, over what period of time?) (Again, please estimate/round up if you do not know the exact
figure)
3) Result of intervention? (E.g. what has happened as a result of you liaising with this victim? Do
they feel safer in their own home, have they been referred to other agencies, have they stopped
sending money?)
4) Money saved? Exact or estimate (as a result of the intervention) (e.g. As above, if you have
managed to stop a victim sending money or your intervention has prevented future loss please
stipulate as best you can with a figure)
5) How is/was the victim sending money? (E.g. cheque, postal order, cash, Western Union, Ukash
vouchers, online, in a shop, over the phone etc.) This information helps guide our partnerships and
build a clear picture of how money is most commonly sent)
6) Any further intervention work required with the victim? (E.g. care packages, further visits,
safeguarding, and education.)
7) Details of any other crimes that the victim may have suffered? (E.g. doorstep crime. This is
helpful to see if there is any correlation between scam victims and other crimes)
8) If there was no contact made with the victim, why?
9) Free text/ any other comments
P a g e | 41
Detriment
Level
(how much
money has
been/is being
sent/lost)
Detail /
Comment re
money
sent/lost
Name
Surname
Result of the
intervention?
Money Saved exact or estimate
(as result of
intervention)
Address 4
Initial
Address 3
Title
Address 2
REF
Dates
Referrals
Sent
Address 1
Template 5 – Feedback form
County
If there was
no contact,
why?
Postcode telephone
Scam
Victim
(Yes or No)
How is the
subject
sending
money?
Any further
invention
work
required;
please state
Details of any
other crimes
that victim
has suffered?
Age
(known /
estimate)
Free Text
(Any
other info
you want
to show)
P a g e | 42
Template 6 - Request to cease mailing
Company Name
Address
Town
County
Postcode
Country
When responding, please ask
for
Our
Ref
Your
Ref
Officer
Contact Number
Email [email protected]
Date
Day Month Year
Re: Customer’s Name, Customer’s Address (as on mail sent)
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing on behalf of the above individual who has contacted us. Please remove Customer’s
Name‘s name from your mailing lists. They no longer wish to receive mail from you and your
associates.
Please confirm in writing that;
 Customer’s Name‘s name is taken off your mailing lists.
 Provide an email address and phone number that you may be contacted on
Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
Yours faithfully
Name
Title
P a g e | 43
SECTION 5 – Frequently Asked Questions
What do I say when I knock on the door? Can I tell people they are on a “victim”
list?
As we would prefer to keep the information confidential, we ask you not to tell people that they are
on a “victim” list. This confidentiality is in line with our commitment to our partners. We suggest
saying (this is purely a suggestion and is not a compulsory phrase) something along the lines of:
“We have been made aware that there is a lot of scam mail being circulated in this area/road/street
at the moment and wondered if we could come in to have a chat to you about it.”
You appear to be asking authorities to visit potentially vulnerable victims. That in
itself does not fit with our fight against doorstep crime and trying to stop
vulnerable people answering the door.
The NTSST advise that the best intervention is by a personal visit. We believe it is unlikely that you
will be able to understand the full extent of the victim’s situation by merely having a conversation
over the telephone.
Many are silent victims of doorstep crime too, so physical intervention is needed to spot this type
of issue. In our experience, many visits have already resulted in immediate safeguarding issues,
which would have been missed if a visit had not been carried out.
Some LAs will write (or where applicable phone) scam victims prior to a visit to either set up a face
to face appointment or to simply inform victims that the LA will be visiting the victim’s local area on
a particular date and may knock on the door to have a chat.
We do accept that not all Local Authorities are visiting all their victims, but it is our suggested
method of intervention.
What is the difference between a priority referral and a monthly referral?
Priority referrals are those that we have received either from one of our National Partners or
through a seizure. These referrals have been sent to us with urgency as it is 'highly likely' that this
person is currently in receipt of scam mail and is vulnerable in some way, thus determining them a
"priority". In some cases, the NTSST may also have received money for these referrals, which will
need to be returned to the victim.
Monthly referrals are the referrals that we send to you every month as per your usual service
agreements. They have been allocated from the victim lists we have obtained so there will be no
money attached to these referrals, which will be sent to you in a list format. Although the monthly
referrals contain potential victims as opposed to confirmed victims, these referrals are just as
important despite the fact that some of the intelligence stored on them might be slightly older.
P a g e | 44
Why do I have a duplicate victim?
Duplicate victims will arise from various sources of information, i.e. they may appear on more than
one “victim” list or referred by more than one National Partner. As such, there is a greater chance
that this person is a victim.
How do I find out more information about my victim referral?
You can find further information about your victim referral by contacting Social Services and
Registrars to ascertain if the victim is already known. If so, Social Services will be able to provide
current information about the victim, i.e. any health issues whilst Registrars will be able to confirm
if the victim has deceased or moved address.
How do I get the victim’s mail stopped?
Unfortunately, you cannot physically stop the delivery of mail. It is a legal obligation that once mail
is in the system then it is delivered to the required address.
Although mail cannot be stopped, there are alternative routes you could consider to assist the
victim:
1. Consider a Mail Redirection - visit Royal Mail website for more information:
https://www.royalmail.com/personal/receiving-mail/redirection
2. Consider using a Mail Collection Service, visit the Royal Mail website for more information:
http://www.royalmail.com/general-correspondence/mailroom-management/collections
3. Educate and empower victims. Sort through post with them to identify scam mail.
4. To help reduce mail, use template 6 – Request to cease mailing, to request the removal of
the victim’s names from mailing lists
How often should I be sending my feedback to the NTSST?
You should send your feedback spreadsheet(s) every 4 weeks to the secure email address
[email protected]
When sending my feedback to the NTSST, should I send the entire spreadsheet,
even though some of the victims have not been visited?
You should ensure that the spreadsheet being sent contains new data only (not duplicates of old
data previously sent). If a victim has not been visited, do not include them on the spreadsheet being
sent. Once you do visit a victim, ensure that their information is included on the spreadsheet when
you next send your feedback.
P a g e | 45
What is being done about scam companies?
The NTSST focuses on how to combat the criminal activity associated with mail based Mass
Marketing Fraud. We work in partnership with a wide range of agencies such as mail providers,
financial institutions and enforcement agencies, we act as a single point of contact and a source of
information and advice to local Trading Standards services to enable them to deal with the
perpetrators of Mass Marketing Fraud and their UK based enablers.
Where does your intelligence come from?
Due to agreements with our partners, we unfortunately are unable to divulge specifically where
your referrals have come from at any one time as we have committed to provide our partners with
a “sterile corridor”. However, we can tell you generally that we work closely with Think Jessica, the
Metropolitan police, Citizens Advice, Royal Mail (and other mail providers), the Financial
Ombudsmen Service, National Crime Agency and Members of Parliament. This list is not exhaustive.
The intelligence could come to us in the form of an email, a victim list, a letter or from the mail
itself.
How do I get a log in for the E-Learning portal?
To obtain a log in for the E-Learning Portal, please send your first name, last name, job title and
email address to [email protected]
How do I get access to the Knowledge Hub?
To gain access to the Knowledge Hub, you will need to sign up at
https://knowledgehub.local.gov.uk/ and search for ‘National Trading Standards Scams Team’

Scams Toolkit

Transcription

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