A SCAMS advice session will be held in Winsford later this month to help stop more people from falling prey to clever cons.

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Trading Standards Team and Cheshire West Citizens Advice will hold the session at Winsford Library on July 15, from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

A number of events have been organised throughout July – in conjunction with Scams Awareness Month – to spread the campaign message – Don’t be rushed – Don’t be hushed.

Cllr Mark Henesy, the council’s cabinet member for environment and communities, said: “To mark Scams Awareness month and highlight the risk of scams, our Trading Standards Team has worked with Cheshire West Citizens Advice to arrange drop-in sessions in libraries across Cheshire West.

“The events will offer residents the opportunity to learn about scams and how to avoid them.

“Scams thrive on silence. Fraudsters know that victims are often too ashamed to share what happened to them, meaning that scams can continue to spread unchecked.

“We’re urging people to lift the lid on scams and start talking about suspicious email, junk mail, online ads or door-to-door sellers operating in their area.”

Figures show that fewer than 5 per cent of victims report scams to the authorities.

Trading Standards and Citizens Advice are encouraging residents to report suspicious activities, get advice if they think they’ve been conned, and to warn others to help stop scams from spreading.

Scams come in every form, from doorstep double glazing sales to online investment offers.

People may be targeted with ‘vishing’ calls where a fraudster impersonates their bank to collect their bank details, or by bogus companies offering computer services.

Online scams include dodgy job adverts and offers for goods and services, while mail scams may ask victims to pay a fee in order to claim their winnings from a prize draw they haven’t entered.

Citizens Advice say people should take their time to make a decision and get their facts together before parting with their money or personal information, and speak out when they think they’ve spotted a scam.

Paul Nicholls chief executive of Cheshire West Citizens Advice added: “Scams are run by professional con artists and it can be very hard to know what to look out for. “Our advice is that if an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

“If you’re contacted out of the blue be on your guard, and never give your bank details out unless you are certain you know who the person is, and that you can trust them.

“If you think you have been scammed, contact Citizens Advice for help and report it to Trading Standards through the Citizens Advice consumer service.”