Residents warned over bogus Citizens Advice cold callers

Shropshire residents are being warned not to let anyone into their home that has called out of the blue and claiming to be from Shropshire Citizens Advice.

Citizens Advice Shropshire have described the scam as "Despicable" after they were informed of the imposters.

Jackie Jeffrey, Chief Executive Officer for Citizens Advice Shropshire, stated:

“This is a despicable scam that trades on public trust in our service. We were horrified when someone contacted us to say they had had a call from someone claiming to be from Citizens Advice offering help with accident claims, and we have had several more members of the public contact us since with the same issue.

“We want to stress to everyone that no genuine Citizens Advice adviser, or anyone else connected with the service, would ever phone or text someone out of the blue. If you do get cold-calls or get a text about such things as loan offers, help with debt problems or, as in this case, help with accident claims, it is almost certainly a scam. Please make sure you don’t give or confirm any personal information.”

There are things that you can do if you suspect you are the target of a scam:

Check with a trusted friend, relative or neighbour.
Get advice from the Citizens Advice Consumer Service 08454 04 05 06.
Get online consumer advice and information at: www.adviceguide.org.uk.
Or contact us locally on 08444 99 11 00
Tell family, friends, neighbours so that they can avoid scams too.

Jackie Jeffrey added:

“We also want to reassure anyone experiencing debt or money worries that we can help. Our service is completely free, confidential and independent, and we have many years of experience and expertise in helping people get debt free and stay that way. No one solution is right for everyone. We can look at your whole situation, deal with any emergencies such as the threat of eviction or other court or bailiff action, or disconnection of essential services. We can also make sure you are not missing out on any extra income you may be entitled to. We can negotiate with creditors on your behalf and discuss all your options with you, so you can decide on the one that is right for you.

“If you are worried at all you can contact Citizens Advice Shropshire on 08444 99 11 00 or go to www.cabshropshire.org.uk and www.adviceguide.org.uk for more information.

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You can also get information on line on www.marchesconsumerhub.org.uk.”