Keep Calm and Hang Up is the advice being given by trading standards on the growing problem of telephone scams. Their new booklet on how to recognise scam phone 
calls reports “Researchers at the University of Exeter found that in many cases scam victims know that something is wrong when they are approached by the scammers but go ahead anyway against their better judgement.
The fraudsters are very clever – their first job is to gain your trust. They sound convincing, authoritative and professional, and they may claim to be from a bank or an official government body. Don’t engage in a conversation with the scammer trying to catch you out – the longer you stay on the phone the more chance he or she has or persuading you that they are genuine.” The advice states it is a scam if:
- Someone offers you something that seems too good to be true
- You are pressurised into agreeing something quickly
- You are asked to make a payment using UKCASH or PAYSAFE
- You are asked to hand over your credit card details on a cold call
For more information and advice on telephone and other scams such as unpaid bill, investment, lottery, competition, and courier scams do call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 08454 040506.