Government agency advocates critical thinking!

[Mojo]

OFT launches Scams Awareness Month 2007

Consumers warned to 'Stop, think and think again' if they receive an 'unbelievable' offer!

[vbloke]

Great news, although launched with such fanfare that I'd not even heard about it.

[median]

The nationwide campaign will run throughout February and give consumers the knowledge and skills they need to recognise, report and stamp out scams.

A simple rule of thumb is all you need

'If it looks too good to be true; it usually is'

[Admin]

Bogus holiday clubs at number 1 :o

It is often surprising to see that thoroughly exposed scams are still working.

[Araneus]

4. Clairvoyant mailings - although they are sent in their thousands, the letters from a so-called psychic or clairvoyant are personalised, offering predictions for payment. Seventy per cent of victims are women and the scam costs 170,000 adults in the UK £40million a year.

That is interesting. I wonder if women are more likely to be a victim because of the way these scams are targetted, or are they just more susceptible to gullibility and credulism?

It's also curious why they mention this statistic in the first place.

[Admin]

I've noticed that the information is free to copy and distribute with appropriate acknowledgement:

© Crown copyright 2007
This publication (excluding the OFT logo) may be reproduced free of charge in
any format or medium provided that it is reproduced accurately and not used in
a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as crown copyright
and the title of the publication specified.

Looks like there's some content for the website then! :D

[Mojo]

Great news, although launched with such fanfare that I'd not even heard about it.

It managed to get onto the BBC breakfast news programme yesterday, but I haven't seen anything anywhere else. They ran a promotion about psychics a while back and the only place I saw that mentioned was on the ASA website.