Skip to main content

The Trading Standards Scams Unit is working to protect you from financial scams.

Dudley financial abuse helpline

The Scams Unit has specialist officers, trained to identify and prevent financial abuse and fraud. You can call us in confidence for free advice and support on 01384 818871.

You can call the helpline if you have a customer or client who is:

  • Sending money overseas to a friend, relative or romantic interest
  • Making unusually large withdrawals from a bank account
  • Needing a lot of money for property maintenance work
  • Paying large unexplained amounts to carers and home helps
  • Sending constant payments to prize draws and lotteries
  • Paying for vitamins and herbal remedies to be delivered to their home
  • Buying gift cards to pay for something other than as a gift
  • Raising suspicions due to any other behaviour that indicates they may be a victim of scams

Dudley financial abuse alliance

The Scams Unit and Trading Standards have formed the Dudley Financial Abuse Alliance. It meets quarterly and is made of organisations combatting the financial abuse Dudley residents are experiencing.

If your organisation would like to get involved with the Alliance, please contact the Scams Unit for further details.

Dudley financial abuse toolkit

The Dudley Financial Abuse Toolkit provides information to anyone concerned that somebody they know may be a potential victim of financial abuse.

To raise a concern regarding potential financial abuse, the Adult Safeguarding alert/referral form should be completed online. If this is not possible then the Access and Prevention team can be contacted on 0300 555 0055.

A concern is a suspicion or allegation of potential abuse. This may have arisen from:

  • A direct disclosure by an adult at risk
  • A complaint or expression of concern by someone else
  • An observation of abusive behaviour or an observation of the indicators of possible abuse

Report a scam

If you, a family member or a friend think you may have been a victim of a scam you can report this to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service. They will provide you with practical, and impartial advice, as well as help to stop others being scammed.

Contact us

We work in partnership with the Citizens Advice Consumer Service (CACS).

Please visit CACS for details on how to report a potential scam or call 0808 231133.

CACS will:

  • record details of your complaint
  • provide relevant advice on your consumer rights
  • forward the complaint details to the relevant Trading Standards department of police for further investigation

Opening hours: Monday - Friday, 9am to 5pm only.

  • You can call during office hours and ask to speak to a Scams Unit Officer on 01384 818871