Junk mail and telephone calls

Have you ever opened a letter congratulating you on winning a huge cash prize or had a phone call out of the blue trying to sell you double glazing?

It is estimated that postal scams cost UK consumers over £1 billion each year.

If you send money in response to a scam letter, it's likely your name will be added to what scammers call a 'suckers list'. The more times you respond, the more lists on which your name will appear. These lists are passed among different scammers who use them to find potential targets, and the amount of scam mail you get is likely to increase.

Scam letters and calls are almost impossible to stop, but you can cut down the amount you receive. There are various services, for example the Mail Preference Service and Telephone Preference Service, which aim to reduce the amount of unsolicited contact you receive and registering your details with them is free.

These services will not contact you once you are registered. If anyone calls claiming to be from any of the services, do not give them any personal details.

A telephone call blocker can be very effective at blocking unwanted phone calls, and we have had success using TrueCall units. Call blockers are not compatible with every type of home telephone, and you should contact the supplier to check compatibility before purchase.