People living in Medway are being offered help in the battle against scam mail.

Medway Council’s Trading Standards department has joined forces with the Office Of Fair Trading (OFT) to stop letter boxes being blighted by promises of money, fake competition prizes and holidays from bogus companies.

Anyone who receives these types of letters or emails, as well as ones promising miracle health cures and get-rich-quick schemes can drop them into various “scamnesty” points from today until Sunday, February 15.

Trading standards officers will also be giving advice to shoppers who are concerned about scam mail.

These advice surgeries will be held from 10am to 2pm at the Pentagon Shopping Centre on Thursday, February 5, and from 10am to 2pm at Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre on Wednesday, February 11.

All letters handed in will be examined by officers and the OFT to help prevent others from becoming a victim of scam mailings, which are usually sent from international addresses.

The campaign is part of February’s Scams Awareness Month to help people avoid falling victim to scams, particularly the elderly and vulnerable.

If you think you have fallen victim of scam mail and would like impartial advice, phone consumer direct on 08454 040506.