Hemel residents warned not to let their guard down against scammers

Hertfordshire County Council is using Scams Awareness Fortnight to remind residents that they can learn about scams before they become a target by following Hertfordshire Trading Standards social media pages.

It is estimated that over 1000 people have reported scams in the county since the start of lockdown.

Scammers are using devious tactics to make their scams as convincing as possible, and all age groups are being targeted by these complex strategies.

Recent examples include a phone call claiming to be from the Government’s Test and Trace programme.

Scam callers claim that someone you know has tested positive for Covid-19, and asks for payment details and a home address in order to send out a testing kit.

Cabinet Member for Community Safety at Hertfordshire County Council, Terry Hone, said: “We know that scammers use inventive tactics to convince their targets to send them money.

"This includes impersonating a trusted organisation, playing on emotions, or even using threats.

“In this difficult time, it’s more important than ever to arm yourself with information; this is the best shield against scams.

“Our Trading Standards team are sharing information about the latest scams on Facebook, Twitter, and over email.

"It’s an easy way to stay in-the-know, and you can help by sharing posts online as well as by warning older relatives and neighbours about these scams.”

Follow Hertfordshire Trading Standards on Twitter or Facebook to stay scam aware.