Don’t let Friday the 13th be a bad day for you, or indeed any other.

Liberal Democrat County Councillor Allan Siao Ming Witherick said “It’s easy to see why both legitimate companies, and con-artists, use these techniques.  They work.

If they didn’t they wouldn’t invest huge amounts of time and effort, as well as money, to reach out to potential customers. But how can you tell which are legitimate, and which are more…questionable, that’s the difficult part!

Remember, if something is too good to be true, well it probably is.”

Mailings:  Reduce the number of unsolicited letters you get by registering for free with the Mailing Preference Service atwww.mpsonline.org.uk or by phoning 0845 703 4599.

Telephone calls:  Reduce yournumber of unsolicited phone calls by registering your phone number for free with Telephone Preference Service at www.tpsonline.gov.uk or by phoning 0845 070 0707.

If you suspect a scam, report it online at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/scams

It’ll provide vital information to the Office of Fair Trading and local authority trading standards services.

If you think you’ve been caught by a scam don’t let embarrassment or fear stop you asking for help.  Millions of people are taken in every year.

Call Consumer Direct for advice on 08454 04 05 06.