The latest report by Financial Fraud Action (FFA) estimating that a financial scam is committed every 15 seconds reinforces the seriousness of scams in the UK. The scale of the problem illustrates what is nothing short of a threat to the nation and one that is growing. Over one million instances of scams coming in through the phone, the doorstep, the mail and online were reported, representing a 53% increase on the prior year.
In response, we support the Police ‘Take Five’ campaign which reminds homeowners to take a period to think about the communications they are receiving. Many scams operate on rushing the victim through urgency or fear so that a decision is made quickly. Decisions made on fleeting thought are rarely good, and the fact that the person demands a quick resolution should serve as a warning sign of a potential scam.
One of the key findings is that many are too embarrassed to discuss their experience of being scammed. We consider it vital that all instances of scams are reported to the authorities so that we may gain a full understanding of the scale. Sadly it means that even the high numbers reported may not fully illustrate the scam landscape.
As experts in telephone security, we stress that call blocking technology is integral for protecting individuals from scam calls. Products such as the CPR Call Blocker Protect + guarantee that the user will only speak to those they choose, such as family, friends and their doctor.
We also recommend that consumers read the Metropolitan Police’s free guidebook, The Little Book of Big Scams - http://www.met.police.uk/docs/little_book_scam.pdf, an exhaustive guidebook on scams active in the UK, now in its third edition.
Our Police-approved product range is already protecting millions of people from scams over the phone, however these statistics reveal that there is still a long way to go. Many millions more remain unprotected and lack the knowledge of how to protect themselves. As a company we consider it our duty to educate the public about these issues and to remove the telephone as a source of scams for good.
For CPR Call Blocker’s Top 5 tips on protection from telephone scams, go to www.cprcallblocker.com/tips