Scams generally start with an unsolicited contact, either online, by email, letter, telephone or in person. Every day, scammers and fraudsters are coming up with new and inventive ways to con unsuspecting members of the public. Their aim is to get your personal details to take money from you, or so that they can pretend to be you.
If you think you’ve been defrauded by a scammer, you should contact Police Scotland on 101 or 999 if it’s an emergency.
Useful contacts for reporting scams
| Types of scams | Organisations that can help | How to report it |
|---|---|---|
| Report scams or get advice | Advice Direct Scotland |
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| Report unsolicited scam mail | Royal Mail |
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| Report scam email | Suspicious Email Reporting Service |
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| Report spam text messages | Your mobile phone provider |
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Other sources of advice
Trading Standards Scotland has a Scam Share section online giving up-to-date information on the current most common types of scams affecting Scottish consumers and how to avoid them at Trading Standards Scotland Scam Share
Friends Against Scams is a National Trading Standards multi-initiative education and awareness campaign, which aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims of scams. You can read about their work and do online training courses to help take a stand against scams. Find out more at Friends Against Scams
TrueCall Call Blockers
If you, or somebody you are close to, is receiving an excessive amount of nuisance landline telephone calls, we can arrange to fit a trueCall call blocker. If you’d like more information, please email us at Trading.Standards@fife.gov.uk with contact details so we can get in touch with you.