Postal Workers Trained To Stop Scam Mail

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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Workers across West Yorkshire are being trained to spot dodgy letters so they can help protect vulnerable residents.

A joint project between Royal Mail and Trading Standards aimed at helping scam mail victims has been launched in West Yorkshire to train postal workers.

The initiative has been set up to combat scam mail by encouraging postmen and women to report those addresses that receive high numbers of suspect mail to Royal Mail’s internal security team.

Royal Mail will pass the information, with consent, to partner agencies such as Trading Standards, Adult Protection, West Yorkshire Police and Victim Support- the most appropriate agency can then investigate the suspected scam mail and support victims.

Scam mail can take many forms and threatens huge financial detriment to the recipient, with scammers often based outside of the UK. A key message is to encourage people to speak out and report being scammed, as currently only 8% of victims do report and 72% will not tell family or friends about it, usually through fear of embarrassment. Workshops and training for partner agencies are taking place all across West Yorkshire with the aim of reducing the number of victims and increasing confidence when dealing with this type of crime.

Dawn Mason from WYTS says; “Someone falling for mass marketing scams may receive a lot of junk mail, get regular phone calls from strangers, spend lots of money or become secretive when discussing finances with family and friends. We’re going into delivery offices, explaining how it impacts on people’s lives, showing them examples of scam mail so they know what to look out for on their round, and let them know who they can talk to if they do suspect something.”

“One in fifteen of us will respond to a scam, and we’ll lose on average eight hundred and fifty pounds- we do know in West Yorkshire we’ve got residents who’ve lost hundreds and thousands of pounds after victimisation went on for several years.”

[5plusbonusball]

Plenty of yankee sheisters posting to my customers , told boss but he said deliver as addressed but can't believe these people still send the yanks money thinking they've won a lottery prize.
Every now and again a well wrapped "prize" will arrive but the commercial value is always nil. We get told to keep our nose out if we interfere i'm afraid.