Almost everyone will, at some time, have been approached by a scammer.

They target people of all ages and genders, in all areas, from inner cities to rural villages, costing people a lot of money and a great deal of distress.

National figures reveal that more than 22,000 scams were reported to the CAB in England and Wales over the past year, yet it is estimated that many more fail to report such incidents.

Each year, £3.5 billion is lost to scammers, but only eight per cent of people report them, many keeping quiet for fear of embarrassment.

In West Yorkshire, over the past 12 months, 2,439 complaints were received from residents about doorstep callers. Most complaints relate to home improvement works including roofing, double glazing, gardening, general repairs and security systems. Other doorstep complaints concern to charity bag collections, trusts and wills.

Last month, the county generated 141 complaints about doorstep callers – 40 per cent in Leeds, 23 per cent in Bradford, 21 in Wakefield, nine in Kirklees and seven in Calderdale.

Most prevalent across the district are scams involving ‘free trial’ slimming products, roof repairs, schemes promising to write off debts, bogus charity collections, grants for double glazing and insulation, prize winning and calls about computer viruses.

Additionally, 22 complaints relating to scams originating from Bradford were received in April, including misleading PPI compensation claims and calls from bogus property/ insulation firms.

This month has been designated National Scams Awareness Month, when trading standards services and Citizens’ Advice Bureaux across England and Wales spread the message to consumers, raising awareness of common tactics used by fraudsters to protect those who potentially could become victims, and gathering information from residents on current scams.

They remind people that scams come in all shapes and sizes, including adverts, people knocking on doors, e-mails, letters, phone calls, texts and contact made over the internet.

Locally, West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service (TSS) and the CAB are stepping up their year-round work to highlight the problem. Throughout this month, they are warning people to be ever-vigilant against rogues and scams, urging them to help ‘spot them and stop them’.

The services are advising people to look out for signs that something is a scam, such as being contacted out of the blue, requests for money in advance, or being told to “keep it secret”. They are releasing tips on how to spot a scam and protect yourself from rogues.

Across the district, scam mailings, bogus e-mails and fraudulent phone calls have been brought to light through a series of workshops for people aged over 55. The Scams and Fraud Education for Residents (SAFER) initiative which was launched after the TSS successfully bid for nearly £215,000 from the Big Lottery Fund.

Run at community venues, sheltered housing developments and organisations that provide services for the elderly, a series of workshops cover doorstep crime, scams and frauds, along with how to get the best deals and benefits. They also allow people to share tips and advice.

The workshops have revealed that due to the economic recession, more younger adults are being targeted as scammers widen their market.

Councillor Valerie Slater, chairman of the Trading Standards Committee, is pleased the initiative is working so well. “It is important that everyone is made aware of scams and and kept safe from the rogues who operate them. This month we are reinforcing our message for people to be on the lookout.”

The TSS is also training police officers, PCSOs, fire officers, NHS outreach workers and volunteers to help pass on information.

In Kirklees, as part of the district’s Financial Fitness initiative, people have been learning how to spot the hallmarks of a scam, empowering them with the skills they need to protect themselves and to look out for others who might be vulnerable to falling foul of unscrupulous scammers.

Recently in Bradford, residents were warned to be on their guard against scammers pretending to offer the Government’s new Green Deal after complaints about rogue traders in West Yorkshire.

In one case, a 76-year-old woman was offered a 20 per cent ‘old-age pensioner discount’ for double glazing – but on condition she ordered it that day.

Graham Hebblethwaite, West Yorkshire Trading Standards chief officer, says: “People are seeing their money go down the drain as con artists rip them by promising lottery wins, work on their home or a new job only to find there is at the end. As budgets are squeezed nationally, it is more important than ever that our cash does not end up in the wrong hands.”