The City of Edinburgh Council, in partnership with the Office of Fair Trading, is running a month-long 'Scamnesty' as part of an ongoing drive to combat scams.
Starting this week, residents in Edinburgh are being urged to bring any scam letters or emails they receive to one of a variety of locations (see end) where wheelie bins will be used to collect the mail.
Community Safety officers will then collate all the mail deposited in the bins during the 'Scamnesty' month and compile a report for the Office of Fair Trading on the kind of scams being perpetrated in Edinburgh.
Office of Fair Trading research reveals that around 4 million adult Britons have responded to scams in their life with around half of those losing more than £50 in total, and 5% losing more than £5000.
The OFT hopes that its intelligence gathering operation will inform future investigations, and prevent others being scammed. Scamnesty aims to highlight the most prolific scams, and those specifically targeting the elderly and young people, with a focus on notable, high turnover, mass marketed scams including bogus lotteries, deceptive prize draws/sweepstakes and miracle health cures.
Examples of scams which have prompted complaints to Edinburgh City Council's Community Safety team recently include companies purporting to be other well known firms and selling fake insurance, and a company selling teeth whitening products charging and using an unauthorised direct debit of over £100 for a so-called free trial.
Councillor Robert Aldridge, Environment Leader said: "The Scamnesty is a fantastic idea and one which will greatly assist our Community Safety officers in gauging the level and nature of mail scams being perpetrated in Edinburgh. The people who are behind these scams have no regard for the distress they may cause, particularly to older and more vulnerable members of the community so any steps that can be taken to root out such scams are really worthwhile."
With over 70% of scams taking the form of email and scam websites, the Office of Fair Trading has also set up a Scamnesty web site and email address ([email protected]) to gather electronic scams during Scams Awareness Month.
Location of Scam Mail Collection bins
Bins are at Edinburgh Council’s Neighbourhood Offices and libraries and will be identified as a Scamnesty Collection Point.
- North Neighbourhood Office, 8 West Pilton Gardens, Edinburgh, EH4 4DP
- South Neighbourhood Office, 40 Captain's Road, Edinburgh, EH17 8QF
- South West Neighbourhood Office, 10 Westside Plaza, Edinburgh, EH14 2ET
- East Neighbourhood Office, 86 Niddrie Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH16 4DT
- City Centre Neighbourhood Office, 1 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1BJ
- West Neighbourhood Office, Chesser House, 500 Gorgie Road, Edinburgh, EH11 3YJ
- South Queensferry Local Office53 High Street, South Queensferry, EH30 9HP
- Rannoch Community Education Centre, 6 Rannoch Terrace, Edinburgh, EH4 7ES
- Corstorphine Library, 12 Kirk Loan, Edinburgh EH12 7HD
- Advice Shop, 85 - 87 South Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1HN
- Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8BG