Scam mail crackdown campaign backed by Derbyshire County Council

Trading standards officers at Derbyshire County Council are backing a campaign by Friends Against Scams to target scam mail.

Postal scams are letters sent with the goal of obtaining consumers’ money using deception or fraud.

The SCAMnesty campaign aims to encourage everyone in Derbyshire and the UK to send in any unwanted scam and nuisance mail that they receive into the National Trading Standards (NTS) Scams Team completely free of charge.

Scam mail is mainly targeted at people aged over 65. Criminals make scam mail personal and address people by name to make it feel as if they have been specially selected to receive the mailing. 

Scams to look out for: 

• lottery or prize draw scams 
• psychic scams
• health cure scams 
• investment scams.

If residents have family, friends or work with people aged 65-plus, the county council is asking them to chat with them about scams and take a look together at some examples on the Friends Against Scams website. www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk 

Councillor Dawn Abbott, Cabinet Member for Health and Communities, said: “We all want to keep our relatives and friends safe from scammers, so please help by spreading the word about mail scams. Scams damage people’s lives and have a real impact on their health and wellbeing. Not only can victims end up losing money, but they can feel anxious and stressed in their own homes after being targeted by mail dropping through their door.”

Councillor Abbott added: “Everyone can do their bit to disrupt these criminals by sending any scam mail to the NTS scams team.”

Scam mail can be sent free of charge to: 
NTSST, 
Freepost, 
Mail Marshals.
 
That is the whole address and there is no need for a stamp.

The NTS scams team's investigators want to see any scam or nuisance mail people receive. They use the mail to great effect through their disruption techniques, but the team would like to see more and put a stop to these mailings landing on consumers' doorsteps.