'No Cold Calling' zones urged

Fresh evidence has been revealed of the shocking scale of scams and unwanted doorstep calls that are being targeted at families across Wales.

Trading Standards received 1,600 reports of mail, phone and internet scams in just a year.

There were also at least a thousand unwanted doorstep calls - many of then targeting older people.

Megan Boot reports

Thousands of scams and unwanted doorstep calls were reported throughout Wales in the last year, new figures show. Age Cymru says that could be the tip of the iceberg, with just five per cent of scams reported.

How to stay safe and cope with unwanted callers

• Citizens Advice recommends a 'no cold calling' sign that tells cold calling doorstep traders to leave. You can download it here.
• If you think you've been a victim of fraud, you can report it to Action Fraud by going to www.actionfraud.police.uk

• The Office of Fair Trading has a 'quick guide' to your legal rights, and provides advice on how to handle doorstep traders.

The Royal Mail says it works closely with the Advertising Standards Authority, Trading Standards and with the police, to identify and stop scam mail. It has a system for postmen and women to report complaints that they receive from customers so that they can be quickly investigated.

Have you had a bad experience with a doorstep caller? ITV News would like to talk to you. You can contact us on wales@itv.com

Age Cymru says there could be as many as 50,000 scams and unwanted doorstep calls in in Wales a year and many of the victims will be elderly.

It's called on the Welsh Government to create more No Cold Calling Zones.

Thousands of scams and unwanted doorstep calls were reported throughout Wales in the past year says the charity Age Cymru.

It claims at least 1,000 unwanted doorstep calls were reported to Trading Standards plus more than 1,600 mail, phone and internet scams.

The charity, which campaigns on behalf of older people, said the figures were probably just the tip of the iceberg.

It's now calling on the Welsh Government to create more No Cold Calling Zones around the country.

"According to the Citizens Advice Bureau only 5% of scams are reported," said Age Cymru's campaigns co-ordinator Gerry Keighley.

"We could be looking at as many as 50,000 scams and unwanted doorstep calls in one year in Wales and in a great many cases the potential victims were older people."

Age Cymru says there is a drastic need for action as awareness campaigns are not protecting older people.

"We believe it is time the companies who deliver the scams, such as Royal Mail, phone companies and internet providers should shoulder more of the responsibility," says Mr Keighley.