Julian Knight has welcomed the news that Trading Standards and Citizens Advice are joining forces in Solihull over Scams Awareness Month, and pledged to continue his own work in leading the fightback against scammers.
Their ‘Friends Against Scams’ sessions, which aim to get more people to report scams to the authorities, will take place at Committee Room 1 of the Civic Suite on Friday 7th July – 10 am to 11am and Monday 17th July – 2pm to 3pm.
As a former consumer rights journalist, Julian has been a leading voice in Parliament for tough action against fraud since being elected two years ago. Last September he led a debate in the House of Commons on protecting vulnerable citizens, and his leadership on the subject has been praised by ministers.
Commenting on the plan, Julian said:
“Here in Solihull the average per-victim cost of fraud is more than nine times the national average. That’s why strong action to keep people safe from scammers is one of my top priorities.
“One of the biggest challenges we face in cracking down on fraudsters is the huge number of crimes that go un-reported. Too many victims feel ashamed of being conned, and choose to keep their heads down rather than alert the authorities.
“If you or somebody you know falls victim to a scam, it’s so important to report it. Not only does it give the police and Trading Standards a chance to catch them, but it gives MPs and other policymakers the information we need to build better safeguards. Most importantly, not reporting a scam means victims are cut off from the support they need.
“Fraud is a vicious crime that targets the most vulnerable people in society, especially older people, and more than money its cost in terms of mental and even physical health is enormous.”