Stop Scams UK members play central role in BBC Scam Safe week
Stop Scams UK and its members played a leading role in the BBC’s Scam Safe campaign by working in collaboration to showcase how fraud is evolving, how consumers can protect themselves and what to do if they do become a victim of a scam.
Beginning on November 23, BBC Scam Safe week saw a special week of programming across national and local networks cover scam-related content and storylines including, Morning Live, Rip Off Britain, The One Show, Bargain Hunt, Countryfile, The Archers, and Eastenders.
Highlights included Stop Scams UK CEO Mark Tierney and Maria Cearns, Chief Operating Officer for The Co-operative Bank plc, being interviewed by Radio 4 Money Box around the importance of 159.
The three-year-old short code anti-fraud number has now received over 800,000 calls since its inception in September 2021. The feature also ran on BBC News and BBC Breakfast throughout the weekend.
Campaigns such as BBC Scam Safe are a huge opportunity to deliver stronger, clearer messaging and help consumers feel safer and more assured.
Mark Tierney, CEO Stop Scams UK
“BBC Scam Safe Week has been an outstanding initiative, shining a much-needed spotlight on the ever-evolving tactics of criminals,” said Stop Scams UK CEO Mark Tierney.
“The week showcased the dedication of our members to come together to help educate consumers, offering practical advice on how they can protect themselves if they unwittingly find themselves caught up in a scam and what to do if they become a victim.
“Campaigns such as BBC Scam Safe are a huge opportunity to deliver stronger, clearer messaging and help consumers feel safer and more assured.”
The campaign was launched on the BT Tower with “BBC Scam Safe”, “Stop Scams UK” and member “BT” visible to thousands of people out on the streets of London and amplified across social media platforms.
Stop Scams UK members appeared on numerous shows across the week, including on BBC Morning Live, which hosted a road show across England and Wales.
Santander, TSB, Starling, Anna Money, Lloyds, Monzo, Barclays, HSBC, Visa, Nationwide and NatWest were all on hand at different points during the week to raise awareness about scams and fraud, as well as providing vital support and education.
The support we’ve had from Stop Scams UK has been brilliant. They’ve helped bridge any gaps and ensured we remained up to date on plans.
Laura Carter, Head of Fraud Customer Experience at Santander
“The Santander Fraud team were very lucky to support two BBC Scam Safe roadshows – the first in Liverpool as part of the pilot, and the second in Exeter,” said Laura Carter, Head of Fraud Customer Experience at Santander.
“We were able to provide the BBC with content from our fraud experts on national and local TV and radio. This was an amazing opportunity to provide a wide range of consumers with key fraud and scam prevention information. The support we’ve had from Stop Scams UK has been brilliant. They’ve helped bridge any gaps and ensured we remained up to date on plans.
“It has been great to see the BBC really embracing this topic and I’m in no doubt this will have a positive impact on our customers and the wider public.”
Richard Bromley, Head of Fraud Risk at Monzo said that events such as the road show, “really help to break the stigma around scams.”
“We really enjoyed the opportunity to connect with so many people from the community in Carlisle on scams. It was clear that people wanted to talk about the subject and wanted to understand practical steps they could take to protect themselves,” he said.
It’s initiatives such as this which really help to break the stigma around scams, encouraging people to open up on a subject which isn’t always the most comfortable, and we applaud Stop Scams UK and the BBC for putting such a spotlight on the topic.
Rich Bromley, Head of Fraud Risk at Monzo
“It’s initiatives such as this which really help to break the stigma around scams, encouraging people to open up on a subject which isn’t always the most comfortable, and we applaud Stop Scams UK and the BBC for putting such a spotlight on the topic.
“We’re keen to support even more of these initiatives, and we’re grateful we were able to play a small part in its success”.
As well as appearing at the road show, members also spoke to BBC local radio stations across the country and local television.
Nationwide’s Jim Winters was interviewed by BBC Morning Live as well as appearing on BBC West Midlands Radio.
“Prevention is key when it comes to fraud and scams,” he said. “That is why events such as this are so crucial and why Nationwide were happy and proud to support.”
Liz Ziegler, Fraud Prevention Director at Lloyds, appeared on BBC Morning Live in Carlisle to talk about advance fee fraud.
“It was great to spend the day in Carlisle for the BBC’s Stay Scam Safe Roadshow, speaking to people about all the different scams that are out there and how they can keep themselves safe,” she said.
“I love getting the opportunity to go out and speak directly to members of the public, even if it only helps just one person avoid becoming a fraud victim. A big thank you to BBC Morning Live and BBC Cumbria for inviting me on their shows.”
Away from the road show, Tom Olsen, Customer Protection and Enforcement attorney at Amazon, appeared on Rip Off Britain to talk about impersonation fraud and how the company works with law enforcement to take down scammers.
“When it comes to protecting consumers from scams and holding scammers accountable, knowledge is power,” said Amazon.
“That is why we are proud to support Stop Scams UK and the BBC help more customers identify, report and avoid scams.
“We know this is an industry-wide issue and we will continue to partner with and learn from others who share our common goal.”
While preparing for the campaign, Stop Scams UK played a key role in helping BBC producers develop consumer messaging based on expert advice while constantly liaising with members ahead of the week-long event. This included working with researchers from Eastenders on the Jean Slater pension scam storyline which was part of the BBC’s Scam Safe initiative.
James Masters, Head of Communications at Stop Scams UK, added: “At Stop Scams UK, we’re proud to have worked with EastEnders to highlight the devastating impact scams can have on people’s lives. Storylines like Jean’s are powerful tools for raising awareness and empowering the public to spot and avoid scams.
“By bringing these issues to life during BBC Scam Safe Week, EastEnders is playing a crucial role in helping to educate viewers and highlighting the importance of staying vigilant against scams.”
All of the BBC’s scam-related content remains accessible through the Scam Safe website and was promoted across the BBC’s social media platforms throughout the week using the hashtag #BBCScamSafe.
