The Office for Fair Trading is today launching a nationwide 'Scamnesty' campaign. Members of the public are asked to drop scam mailings in bins placed at libraries and other public buildings.

The Office for Fair Trading, in partnership with over 50 local authority Trading Standards Services, is asking the public to collect any potential scam mailings they have recently received and drop them into designated 'Scamnesty' bins at local libraries and other public areas across the country. The bins are being promoted locally by Trading Standards Services with the theme 'Drop in and drop them in it'.

Every year an estimated three million people fall victim to mass marketed scams such as bogus lotteries, get-rich-quick schemes and miracle health cures. The Office for Fair Trading estimates that less than 5% of victims report scams to the authorities. To raise awareness of scams the Office for Fair Trading has declared February 'Scams Awareness Month'.

Crucial intelligence

The Scamnesty runs until 27 February 2008. The mailings collected from the 'Scamnesty' bins could provide crucial intelligence to Trading Standards Services and the Office for Fair Trading, help to inform future investigations, and prevent others from being scammed.

Mike Haley, Director of Consumer Protection at the Office for Fair Trading, said: "We want to empower the public to help beat the scammers by participating in the Scamnesty campaign. Any scam mailings that are dropped in the bins could be vital in gathering intelligence on the latest scams and in stopping the worst offenders from continuing to bring misery to thousands of vulnerable people each year."

Ron Gainsford, Chief Executive of the Trading Standards Institute, said: "Unfortunately often the first we hear of scam mailings is the horror stories of how people of all ages have received offers of money or prizes and sent off cheques. By asking people to recognise and drop in the scam mailings which they receive, we are helping to provide information about how these scams are evolving and expose scammers' heartless techniques."

People who think they might have been the victim of a scam, or suspect a scam, are advised to contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 or online. [The Consumer Direct website was axed in 2011. A minimal version of the pages about scams on the Consumer Direct website can now be found on direct.gov.uk.]