Report a scam

It's a sad fact that the World Wide Web has been infiltrated by countless scams, the vast majority which are transferred via electronic email. While the components of a scam differ, the essential element remains the same. A scam is a action which is a 'Confidence trick'. Whatever the argument or result of a scam, the fact of the matter is, the basic aim of a scam is to defraud a person.

Consumer Direct is a website funded by the UK Government. It is a body which aims to protect and inform UK consumers. It also contains a page where UK consumers can report a scam, the url of the page is provided at the below address,

• https://secure.consumerdirect.gov.uk/reportascam.aspx

Depending on the nature of the report, the Consumer Direct website may pass a report to the following two UK Government departments,

• Trading Standards
• Office of Fair Trading

The above two bodies have the remit to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of a scam. They may also be able to reclaim funds lost through a scam.