Dorset Police provide a service which delivers instant fraud prevention advice.
Dorset Police's Fraud Protect Officer, Damian Cranny, recently emailed clerks across the county about a fraud prevention service from Dorset Police. Fraud affects people of all ages and backgrounds across Dorset, often causing not only financial loss but significant emotional and mental distress. The impact can be long-lasting and, sadly, can leave victims vulnerable to further scams.
To help tackle this, Dorset residents can access Ask Damian, a unique fraud prevention service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Using their free phone minutes, residents can receive instant fraud prevention advice whenever they need it, helping them make informed decisions before responding to suspicious calls, emails, texts, websites, or requests for money. It can answer questions on all types of fraud from doorstep callers, to romance fraud in a kind and friendly manner. In addition to the telephone support, users receive a text message containing the advice provided, allowing them to refer back to the information when needed. The service is unique to Dorset and during trials, 30% of users took protective action as a direct result of the advice received, helping them avoid potential fraud and the financial and emotional harm that can follow.
By sharing Ask Damian, you could help prevent local residents becoming victims of fraud and ensure they have access to immediate support whenever they need it. Please share this information and posters (see links below) via:
- parish or town council websites
- Facebook pages and other social media channels
- community newsletters
- notice boards
Ask Damian posters
- Ask Damian poster (jpeg) - suitable for websites and social media
- Ask Damian poster (PDF) - suitable for printing for display.
Pre-printed posters are available for notice boards, however, due to the large number of councils across Dorset, copies are not able to be posted individually. If your council has access to a central distribution point, internal mail system or other method through which posters could be distributed locally, please let Damian know onThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
