Scams

Mass marketed scams are a priority area for the OFT. Our research indicates that around 3 million UK consumers lose a total of £3.5 billion to scams every year. 

The scams awareness campaign is a long-term consumer awareness campaign aimed at providing consumers with information and advice on how to identify scams and protect themselves and others.

We run a number of tactical initiatives through the year targeting specific scams and also have an annual scams awareness month in February (the UK's contribution to the ICPEN International Fraud Prevention Month).

In February 2009, the OFT organised a nationwide Scamnesty, in partnership with over 93 local authority Trading Standards Services. Members of the public were asked to collect any potential scam mailings they had received and drop them into designated bins at local libraries and other public areas. 

Further information

Download the Evaluation of Scams Awareness Month February 2009 report (pdf 834 kb)

Download Research on the impact of mass marketed scams (pdf 303 kb)

Download The psychology of scams: Provoking and committing errors of judgement (pdf 3.3 mb)

Download  Key features of scams and how to avoid them (ppt 1.8 mb)

Download the Scams Strategy for 2009-10 (pdf 198kb)

The scams awareness DVD can also be viewed on the OFT's YouTube channel. 

If you wish to order copies of our scams materials please see available publications.

There are also two spoof web pages that aim to highlight to consumers what fake weight loss product and fake miracle health cure websites can look like.

Information for businesses is available in the business scams section and you can find out how to spot different types of scams.

To find out more about the campaign please contact Emma Monk at emma.monk@oft.gov.uk

Help stop scammers

You can help to stop scammers by telling your friends and family and by making us aware of any scams that you have encountered. You can do this by sending an online scam report.

Back to: Campaigns