​Gloucestershire County Council’s Trading Standards service is asking people to drop scam mailings in collection boxes across the county as part of a national campaign to tackle scams.

Gloucestershire County Council Trading Standards service is taking part in the national scams awareness month campaign, organised by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

The OFT has reported that nearly half of the UK population has been targeted by a scam. More than 3 million adults - or 6.5% of the population – fall victim to scams, losing a total of £3.5 billion every year.

Scams can take the form of bogus and fraudulent offers sent by post, telephone, email or text.

Mass marketed scams such as fake lottery and prize draw wins, bogus psychic predictions, and miracle health cures are some of the tricks used by scammers. Fake ticket websites and bogus holiday clubs are also used to con people. Although anyone can fall for a scam, the elderly and vulnerable are more likely to be targeted, as they are more likely to become repeat victims.

In Gloucestershire we have arranged for a number of scamnesty bins to be located at libraries and we are inviting consumers to drop any suspect scam letters in the bins. Trading Standards will analyse and report on prize draw letters, psychic predictions or miracle health cures left in the scamnesty bins.

Scamnesty bins are available at the following libraries:

Gloucester

Cheltenham

Cirencester

Dursley

Lydney

Newent

Quedgeley

Stow on the Wold

Stroud

Tewkesbury

Eddie Coventry, Head of Trading Standards, said: “We had a good response when we offered this opportunity to people last year and it provided very useful information on the type and scale of scam mailings in the county. We will use the information to assist with investigations and to help us inform the public about scams.”

Cllr Will Windsor-Clive, Gloucestershire County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for Trading Standards, said: “I would ask the public to support this important campaign by dropping off their scam mailings. Our Trading Standards team is already very effective at identifying and acting on scams within the county and this campaign can help to provide crucial evidence, so please get involved.”

Consumers can also report any scams to Trading Standards through Consumer Direct on 08454 040506.