"It's terrifying that around £10 billion is lost to scams & fraud each year" Caroline Dinenage
Caroline Dinenage MP, is hosting the first Scam Smart event in the Gosport Constituency to help members of the public to protect themselves from fraud.
The free event takes place at Thorngate Halls in Gosport from 1.30- 4pm on Friday 8 June, as part of Scams Awareness Month, and will feature useful help and advice from a number of different local and national organisations including, Hampshire Constabulary, Trading Standards and Citizens Advice.
Speaking ahead of the event, Caroline said:
"In 2016/17 there was a 7% increase in the number of fraud offences recorded in England and Wales, this continues the year-on-year increases seen over the last five years. This crime usually happens within the safely of the victims' own home, with fraudsters using more and more devious and ingenious tactics, causing not only financial hardship but also immense distress.
My Scam Smart event, which is open to all local residents, seeks to give people the information and tools they need to not miss a trick when it comes to protecting themselves from scams."
Valerie Kelly, Chief Officer of Citizens Advice Gosport said:
"We are pleased to be able to support this event by raising awareness of the scams affecting our local community. These are becoming ever more sophisticated and a risk to the unwary. This event will highlight the tactics used to persuade people to part with their savings and hopefully prevent residents from becoming victims of this type of crime."
The event is free but booking is required via [email protected] or 02392 583127.
