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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| '10% of Britons' fall for scams | '10% of Britons' fall for scams |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Almost 10% of adults - more than 4m people - in Britain say they have responded to a scam in their lives, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has said. | Almost 10% of adults - more than 4m people - in Britain say they have responded to a scam in their lives, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has said. |
| Almost a half of those who did respond to a scam had lost more than £50, while 5% lost more than £5,000. | Almost a half of those who did respond to a scam had lost more than £50, while 5% lost more than £5,000. |
| The OFT said 73% of adults had received a scam e-mail in the past year. | The OFT said 73% of adults had received a scam e-mail in the past year. |
| It is launching a "scamnesty", calling on consumers to drop scam mailings into designated boxes at public places or into an online "bin". | It is launching a "scamnesty", calling on consumers to drop scam mailings into designated boxes at public places or into an online "bin". |
| OFT chief executive John Fingleton said: "Scammers are using ever more sophisticated and cunning tactics to dupe people out of their cash. | OFT chief executive John Fingleton said: "Scammers are using ever more sophisticated and cunning tactics to dupe people out of their cash. |
| "We want people to recognise the warning signs, and feel confident enough to seek advice from friends or family or from Consumer Direct." | "We want people to recognise the warning signs, and feel confident enough to seek advice from friends or family or from Consumer Direct." |
| Consumer Minister Kevin Brennan said the government had spent £7.5m to create "scambuster" teams across the UK. | Consumer Minister Kevin Brennan said the government had spent £7.5m to create "scambuster" teams across the UK. |
| "We are determined to fight these crooks," he said. | "We are determined to fight these crooks," he said. |
| The National Fraud Authority has estimated the cost of fraud - including scams, online theft, insurance cheats and tax fraud - at £30bn year in the UK, the equivalent of £621 per adult. | The National Fraud Authority has estimated the cost of fraud - including scams, online theft, insurance cheats and tax fraud - at £30bn year in the UK, the equivalent of £621 per adult. |
| The OFT is giving the following advice to help avoid being scammed: | The OFT is giving the following advice to help avoid being scammed: |
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