Julia Mulligan, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire is supporting the Friends Against Scams campaign and appealing for carers, volunteers, charities and agencies who work with elderly and vulnerable members of the community to get involved.
Results from the recent national crime survey identified that fraud is the most commonly experienced crime in the UK with 3.6 million fraud offences being recorded last year. Crime has changed, with fraud now the most commonly experienced offence.
Every year scams cause between £5bn and £10bn worth of detriment to UK consumers.
The Friends Against Scams campaign, that is being run by the National Trading Standards Scams Team, aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims of scams.
Julia has arranged for seven awareness sessions to take place in North Yorkshire during the first week in February.
Each session, taking place in Harrogate, York and Scarborough is split into two parts. The first hour provides an overall awareness of scams, whilst the second hour provides the skills and resources so attendees can become champions and run their own awareness sessions for the people they care for, colleagues and friends.
Julia Mulligan said:
“Scams and fraud was one of the top five priorities mentioned by people during the consultation for my police and crime plan so I am really pleased to be able to provide this opportunity and raise awareness of this blight on our communities.
“These types of crime don’t only have a devastating emotional effect on their victims but they also take away their life long savings and security for the future.
“I want to encourage people working with elderly or vulnerable people to come along so that they can learn new skills and provide an enhanced care for their communities.”
Louise Baxter, Team Manager at the National Trading Standards Scams Team, said:
“I am really pleased that people in North Yorkshire are getting involved in the Friends Against Scams campaign and helping to ‘Take a Stand Against Scams’.
“This campaign is about protecting our communities, particularly people in vulnerable situations who are deliberately targeted by criminals, and it is great to see that people in North Yorkshire want to do exactly that.
“We hope that people will be able to take what they have learnt at the Friends Against Scams awareness session and turn knowledge into action in their community.
“I’d encourage anyone interested in stopping scams to visit the Friends Against Scams website – www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk/ – and sign-up.”
Courses will be running in Harrogate on Monday 6 February starting at 12:00 and 14:30, in York on Wednesday 8 February starting at 09:00, 11:30 and 14:00, and in Scarborough on Friday 10 February starting at 09:00 and 11:30.
Each two hour session is split into two halves. The first hour provides an overall awareness of scams (Friends Against Scams Awareness Session), whilst the second hour (SCAMchampion Session) provides the skills and resources so attendees can become champions and run their own awareness sessions for the people they care for, colleagues and friends.
Attendees can either stay only for the first half, or can stay for both halves in order to become a certified SCAMchampion and be able to provide the training to others.
To book your place, visit: https://www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk/session.php?xCmd=find
Remember, if you want to become a SCAMchampion you will also need to sign up for the preceding Friends Against Scams Awareness Session.
For more information about Friends Against Scams, or to complete the online awareness session, visit: www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk/
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
info@northyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk
01423 569 562