POOLE residents are being urged to help expose scams in a bid to prevent others falling prey, as part of National Scams Awareness month.

Borough of Poole trading standards officers are calling on people to speak out if they have been a the target of an attempted con. The drive comes as a national 'Don't be Rushed, Don't be Hushed' campaign urges the public to stop being rushed into hasty decisions by scammers, or hushed into silence by a sense of shame or weary acceptance.

On average less than five per cent of victims report scams to the authorities and mass marketing scams alone are estimated to cost UK victims up to £5b per year - according to the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.

Peter Haikin, regulatory services manager, Borough of Poole, said: “Scams thrive on the silence of victims. Fraudsters know that even if they realised they’ve been conned, victims are often reluctant to share what happened to them, meaning that scams can continue to spread unchecked.

"As part of this national campaign we’re urging people in Poole to help lift the lid on scams and start talking about suspicious emails, scam mail, online ads or unscrupulous door-to-door sellers operating in their area. We would encourage anyone who has been the victim of a scam approach to report it to Trading Standards.”

Scams can come in many forms, from high pressure doorstep sellers to fraudulent online investment offers, fake adverts to bogus prize draws. Poole Trading Standards are aware of more than 300 local residents who have responded to scam mail during the last few years.

Peter Haikin explained: “These scams are run by professional con artists who use a different approach to suit their target victim. For example a bogus concert ticket sales website will appeal to a different market than a fake clairvoyant mailshot.

"We all need to be on guard, regardless of our age, as it can be very hard to know what to look out for. If you’re contacted out of the blue in particular be on your guard, and never give your bank details out unless you are certain you know who the person is and that you can trust them. If you think you have been scammed, contact Citizens Advice on 03454 040506 for help or to report it to Trading Standards.”

Poole Trading Standards are recommending residents follow their top tips for avoiding scams:

? If it sounds too good to be true it probably is

? It you haven’t bought a ticket – you can’t win it

? You shouldn’t have to pay anything to get a prize

? If in doubt, don’t reply. Bin it, delete it or hang up

? Contacted out of the blue? – be suspicious

? Don’t be rushed – resist pressure to make a decision straight away

? Never send money to someone you have never met

? Walk away from job ads that ask for money in advance

? Your bank will never phone you to ask for your PIN or your online banking password

? Don’t suffer in silence – speak out about scams