The definition of the word scam is ‘a dishonest scheme, a fraud, swindle, racket, trick or diddle.’ With the term ‘swindler’ being ‘a man who scams old pensioners out of their savings.’
The language used around scams such as ‘trick’ and ‘diddle’ highlight the lack of seriousness connected to this type of offence and a lack of sensitivity to the victims.
However, the reality is that scams have a significant impact on victims and with many fraud offences being conducted by organised crime groups to fund their criminal activity, the scale of this crime is truly staggering.
This publication, designed with expert advice from Dr Elisabeth Carter, has been produced to help you recognise the tactics used by the criminals who commit these crimes and the serious impact these crimes can have on the victims.
