AROUND one in three people in Craven have been targeted by a scammer since lockdown began says Citizens Advice Craven & Harrogate Districts.

The groups say 61 per cent of people across the region are worried someone they know will fall foul of a con. And the large majority of people (88 per cent) reported they felt wary of coronavirus scams.

Citizens Advice Craven & Harrogate Districts is working closely with and Trading Standards and North Yorkshire Police in encouraging people to talk about their experiences and look out for others they think could be at risk, especially people that are vulnerable, isolated or may still be shielding.

The charity has already helped clients report door step scams, loan shark activity and helped people deal with the financial fall out of being a victim of scammers since the lockdown began on March 23rd. One client in the area recently downloaded an app from a criminal pretending to be a broadband provider, which promptly emptied their bank account and left them without money for food for the month. The organisation assisted in helping the family report the situation, coordinating their benefits and distributing food bank tokens to them.

Anyone needing help from the group should ring 01756 457222 visit: https://cachd.org.uk/