OFT sends out ’scam’ texts to warn consumers
February 19, 2008 by admin
Filed under News, News-Loans
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has announced it is to send out fake ’scam’ text messages to consumers as part of their Scams Awareness month. 
According to the OFT, an estimated six per cent of scam victims are aged between 15 and 24, which is part of the motivation for the campaign.
Mike Haley, director of consumer protection at the OFT said that young people can be vulnerable to consumer scams offered through new forms of technology.
“We hope that our innovative approach of sending fake scam text messages will remind young consumers to be on their guard if they receive a suspicious offer,” he said.
The text message reads as ‘Urgent! U may have won £1k cash with ‘2 Good 2 B True’ and is expected to be followed by a second message making it clear that there is no prize and that the message has been sent by the OFT to warn about scams.
According to the OFT, up to three million consumers are victims of scams per year.
