Would you, your family, your community, or workplace like to understand more about scams and why people can become scam victims?

Almost 1 million other people have said ‘yes’ and are a ‘Friend Against Scams’. A scam is a fraud, and this type of fraud affects the lives of millions of people. More than £5 billion is lost to scams each year in the UK. People who are scammed may not just lose money, but may also suffer a loss of independence, good health and wellbeing.

Many people do not report being a victim, even though it is important to speak out as silence is a scammer’s best friend. Championed by Trading Standards, major banks and community organisations, ‘Friends Against Scams’ is a national initiative that aims to recruit people to join the fight against scams, providing the tools to understand and spot scams, and to learn who to report them to.

For more information and to become a ‘Friend’ visit www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk

Anyone can become a scam victim. If it has happened to you, contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133. This helpline is the first point of contact for consumers wanting advice about a consumer problem or to report something to Trading Standards.