'Drop in to drop them in it' is the message to Islanders, in the latest bid to fight scams. Isle of Wight Council's Trading Standards service is again teaming up with the Office of Fair Trading to run the month long 'Scamnesty' campaign, which starts today.
Special boxes are located around the Island and we’re being asked to collect any scam mailings and to drop them into the boxes. According to the council, UK consumers lose around £3.5 billion to scams every year. The average amount lost per scam is £850 while those aged over 55 lose an average of £1,261. Scamnesty bins are available, throughout February, at the libraries in Freshwater, Ryde, Newport, East Cowes, Cowes, Ventnor, Pan and Sandown. They can be found at post offices in St Helens, St Lawrence, Lake, Brook, Chale, Rookley, Ryde, Sandown, Brading, Brighstone, Freshwater Bay, Wroxall. They’re also at Bembridge Parish Council Offices, Shanklin News and Age Concern (Regent Street), Gurnard News, Vic’s Stores in Seaview, Pan Stores, Northwood Stores, Osborne Garage in East Cowes, Wootton Spar, Chale Green Stores, Sandown Library, Perowne Way Stores and Newport Spar (Upper St James Street).