HUNDREDS of scam victims in South Gloucestershire are being contacted after a mailing list used by scammers was obtained.

Advice and support is being offered by Trading standards officers to identified victims.

The National Trading Standards Scams Team have acquired a list used to repeatedly target victims with mail scams such as bogus lotteries, fake prize draws, investment opportunities and clairvoyant letters. Almost 300 addresses have been identified in South Gloucestershire.

Officers from South Gloucestershire Council’s Trading Standards team are currently visiting those addresses to offer advice and support when needed.

They believe that one resident has lost over £100,000 over a 14-year period to fake prize draw letters.

In another case, officers removed an estimated 500 pieces of mail fraud from a vulnerable resident during a follow up visit, after removing a similar amount just a few months earlier.

Communities committee chairman Cllr Claire Young said: “People of all backgrounds can fall victim to postal, telephone, doorstep and email scams, but very often the targets are elderly or people living alone with no family living nearby.

“South Gloucestershire Trading Standards have been working on ways to educate potential victims of crime and financial abuse and to protect those who have fallen victim from further harm. We also want to protect those who are more vulnerable to being targeted, and as part of this officers have been talking to local groups about how to spot a scam.”

All of those visited are also given an information pack which includes South Gloucestershire Trading Standards’ booklet ‘Be in the know…scams and rogue traders’, as well as the ‘Little Book of Scams’ produced by Action Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre. The packs additionally contain leaflets from the Think Jessica charity and information about nuisance telephone call blockers.

Anyone who is concerned that they, a friend or family member may have fallen victim to a scam can report their concerns to Trading Standards by contacting the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 04 05 06, between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

To find out more about the work of Trading Standards visit: www.southglos.gov.uk/tradingstandards