Officers work with Royal Mail staff and trading standards to intercept letters addressed to vulnerable residents
Scam letters addressed to people in Barnstaple have been intercepted by trading standards officers.
Potential scam mail destined for 20 homes in the town included bogus letters from lotteries, sweepstakes and competitions promising a prize in return for a payment.
Vulnerable residents, particularly those who have difficulty coping with large amounts of post, were visited by police and trading standards officers and offered help and support.
Police and Devon and Somerset Trading Standards Service officers held a day-long workshop at Barnstaple’s Royal Mail delivery office last week, advising 40 members of staff on how to stop the flow of scam mail and prevent people from being duped.
Examples of letters received by victims of fraud in North Devon.
Delivery office manager Dave Baker said: “Royal Mail is stepping up its attack on scam mail by coordinating an industry-wide response to tackle fraudulent mail at its source.
“We actively encourage our people to report any concerns they have about households they suspect are vulnerable to postal scams to their line manager.”
Sergeant Sal Ferris said local officers were committed to helping reduce the fear of crime and give people the confidence to know how to report concerns.
“By utilising our postal operatives, who are an integral part of our varied communities, we hope that we will be able to protect the vulnerable members of our communities from threat, risk and harm,” she said.
Report a potential scam
To report a concern about scam mail, write to Freepost Scam Mail, email scam.mail@royalmail.com or call 03456 113413.
To report any kind of fraudulent activity or for advice about a consumer problem, contact Citizens Advice on 03454 04 05 06.
For more information about scams and how to spot them, or for free online scam and doorstep crime awareness training, visit http://www.devonsomersettradingstandards.gov.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;