People need to be on their guard against financial and legal scams following a rise in cases reported to the Citizens Advice consumer service.

Citizens Advice Cornwall is now showing people how to spot scams as it launches Scams Awareness Month in the county with Cornwall Trading Standards.

Neil Colquhoun, chief executive of Citizens Advice Cornwall, said: “Scammers can make for convincing white collar professionals, especially online, and are skilled at persuading people they are legitimate.

“The stakes are high with financial and legal scams as you can end up losing your savings or pension fund, which can put your long-term financial stability at risk.

A total of 1,200 financial and legal scams were reported to the Citizens Advice national consumer service in the year ending April 2018 - a six per cent increase on the year before.

The average loss for these scams was £330.

A range of investments scams were reported to the consumer service, including:

Mr Colquhoun added: “When you get approached about any investment, don’t rush into anything without making sure it’s legitimate first, particularly when you’re contacted out of the blue.”

Types of scams

Cryptocurrency - Fake websites claim to offer cryptocurrency investments, like Bitcoin. Often, scammers will pretend household names have endorsed the company to give it some legitimacy.

Binary options - Scammers pose as stockbrokers and get you to place bets on whether phoney shares will rise or fall within a certain date. They’ll promise big returns. You should check if they are on the FCA Register and not on the warning list of firms to avoid

Holiday timeshares - Scammers promise to buy your membership off you for an advanced fee.

Bogus solicitors - A scammer will intercept emails from a legitimate solicitor and pose as them. Scammers often strike when a property is being exchanged on and get the funds diverted to their bank account instead. Check if they are on the Solicitors Regulation Authority to see if they are genuine.

Anthea Durant, of Cornwall Trading Standards, said: “Scams affect the lives of millions of people across the UK and come in different ways: online, by phone, by post or in person. Scams that prey on people’s trust or hopes can be devastating for the victim.

“By being aware and staying ahead of scammers, we can stop them winning and keep your money safe and secure.”

To help stop more people being fleeced by these types of scams, Citizens Advice Cornwall is sharing tips on how to spot them:

? Be suspicious if you’re contacted out of the blue, even if it’s from a name you recognise

? Don’t be rushed – you never need to make a decision straight away

? If it sounds too good to be true it probably is

? Never send money to someone you have never met

? Never give out your bank details unless you are certain you can trust the person contacting you

? Walk away from job ads that ask for money in advance

? Genuine computer firms do not make unsolicited phone calls to help you fix your computer

? Suspect a scam? Hang-up, wait five minutes to clear the line or use another phone to call

? Persuasive sales patter? Just say: “No Thank You”

? Don’t suffer in silence – speak out about scams

Cornwall Case Study: Mrs C got a call on her landline from a man who said he was a computer-security expert from Microsoft and that her laptop has been infected with malware and they could help her solve the problem. Mrs C had noticed her laptop was slow recently and thought being infected could be the problem, so she accepted the offer.

She followed the caller’s instructions to allow him remote access to her computer and also agreed to pay an invoice the man on the phone would send through to her.

Mrs C said the invoice never arrived. But the following week, Mrs C’s credit card details were used to purchase expensive goods. The man had monitored her computer use and gained access to her credit card information. Mrs C called her bank to cancel her card and see what else could be done, she also had to change all her passwords, usernames and bank and credit card logins.

If you have received a call like this, put the phone down, don’t ever give out any personal information or bank details and make sure your scam security software is up to date.

Tell everyone about this scam as it preys on people's insecurity about lack of technical knowledge. It is very easy to be a victim and the best defence is sharing knowledge.

The National Trading Standards (NTS) Scams Team along with Cornwall Trading Standards, is fighting for a scam-free nation by "Taking a Stand against Scams". You can also learn how to protect yourself here at www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk