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One Million Friends Campaign

Scams affect the lives of millions of people across the UK.

Posted on 19 January 2018

Postal, telephone and doorstep scams are often targeted specifically at disadvantaged consumers or those in periods of vulnerability. The National Trading Standards Scams Team estimates that UK consumers lose between £5 and £10 billion a year as a result of these scams.

Friends Against Scams is a national initiative, which we are supporting in Derbyshire. It aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims of scams by empowering communities to ‘Take a Stand Against Scams’.

Friends Against Scams encourages communities and organisations to understand scams, talk about scams and cascade messages throughout those communities.  The scheme aims to raise awareness of the impact of scams and help people recognise the signs that someone might be at risk.

Anybody can join Friends Against Scams and small steps can make a big difference. You could:-

  • Tell five people about the Friends Against Scams initiative
  • Educate and talk to people about scams.
  • Share your Friends Against Scams status on social media.
  • Look out for people who are at risk of being a scam victim in your community.
  • Campaign for change - write to your local MP asking them to promote scams awareness and ask them to become a Scambassador.
  • Make a difference to someone’s life by getting in touch and staying in touch with someone who has been a victim of a scam.
  • Actively support your local fight against scams by setting up, or taking part in, scam awareness activity or an event in your local area.

To become a Friend and support the campaign or, for more information, visit www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk

More information about the campaign is available in the Useful Documents section.