News
This is a timeline of the THINK JESSICA campaign so far. If you are interested in booking a Think Jessica presentation or interview, please get in touch.
Pilot for ITV Programme
Marilyn was invited to the ITV studios in London and was interviewed on a pilot film for a new daytime programme. She spoke about her work on the campaign and the plight of relatives of chronic scam mail victims.
North East Fraud Forum Annual conference (Newcastle)
Think Jessica presentation and DVD showing chronic Victims; and interviews with their family members. Think Jessica featured on Radio Sheffield
International Mass Marketing Scams Awareness Day
National Television and Radio keep the day high profile…
Over 800 fraud victims get their money back
Over 800 people who were the victims of a criminal mail fraud have had their money returned to them by SOCA.
Letters to every individual, containing cheques for between £10 and £60, have been sent from SOCA’s Executive Director of Intervention Paul Evans and will arrive on doormats in the next few days.
The victims’ letters were seized during an investigation into a sophisticated mass market fraud.
Mass market fraud is the invasive email, post and telephone scams that promise everything from lottery wins and cash prizes, through to inheritance from unknown relatives. A lot of schemes are highly plausible, and there are numerous different schemes designed to appeal to different people. The OFT estimates that the cost to the UK is at least £3.5 billion a year, and the cost is borne by individuals - no bank or insurer covers the loss.
House of Commons Question Time
Lidsey Hoyle (Chorley Lab) "There is a campaign called Think Jessica to develop the awareness of vulnerable people, including pensioners, who are preyed upon by scam mail. Those people are losing their life savings to scam mail, and I challenge the Prime Minister to take up the case of Think Jessica and ensure that we outlaw scam mail using American Ideas"
The Prime Minister: My hon. Friend has identified a very bad practice that preys on large numbers of people in this country. These are the worst rogue trading practices and scams, and as a result of action that we have taken we have uncovered an estimated £4 billion of fraud and saved an estimated £5 million for consumers. Recently, 39 organisations or people have been successfully prosecuted. The Office of Fair Trading is running an awareness campaign to alert the public to these scams, and I urge people to visit the Consumer Direct website, where there are a number of interactive online guides to dealing with those problems. But my hon. Friend is absolutely right: we must empower consumers to recognise and avoid these scams, and we must back this up with the strongest punishment
Think Jessica comments...Its the Australian Post, not the Americans that intercept scam mail (see link at bottom of the campaign page) also chronic victims are "brainwashed" into not recognising that they are being scammed: ...99.9% of Think Jessica's victims do not know how to access the internet. The vast majority of scam mail is being sent from criminals abroad who use mailing addresses, move the cash from country making them extremely difficult to track down and keeping them clear of UK laws.
Watch Here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlVh1B3K4Ww
Think Jessica Mass Marketing Fraud Conference
Hosted by the Lancashire Constabulary on what would have been Jessica’s 86th Birthday
Presentation by a representative from the National Fraud Authority and Say Two productions performed the play “Think George” (script written by the Brit School after researching the Think Jessica campaign)
Over 100 delegates pledged to support Think Jessica and raise awareness in their communities.
Daily Mirror
Article about scams, referring people to the Think Jessica website
Celebrating Achievement Awards Ceremony
Derbyshire Constabulary Headquarters Ripley
Hosted by Chief Constable Mick Creedon
Attended by the Lord Lieutenant and
High Sheriff of Derbyshire
Marilyn was guest of honor, she gave a presentation telling how Think Jessica has evolved over the last two years.
Radio Derby
Marilyn interviewed about the Scamnesty Campaign on the Shane O’Connor Breakfast show.
Wingerworth Town Woman's Group
Think Jessica presentation
The ladies are supporting our campaign
Radio Sheffield
Launch of Scamnesty 2010
During the month of February the OFT are asking people to deposit any scam mail they receive in “Scamnesty Bins”
These are located in libraries across the country.
Marilyn interviewed on the Howie Pressman Show.
BBC Radio Wales
The National Fraud Authority (NFA) released the first comprehensive
fraud estimate, which shows that fraud costs the UK over £30billion a year.
Marilyn Interviewed on "Good Morning Wales"
National Fraud Authority regional summit
Think Jessica focus on chronic scam mail victims
LBC Radio 97.3fm
Marilyn interviewed about scam mail on the Petrie Hosken show
Hampsire Council News
Excellent piece about scams, referring readers to Think Jessica website.
Money Wise Magazine
Well written piece warning readers of the dangers of replying to foreign lottery and clairvoyant scams.
Referring readers to Think Jessica.
Justice Awards
Attendees included the Attorney General & Sarah Payne.
Think Jessica in the final 5 (900 nominated) for the Daily Mirror Peoples Award.
Victim Support
The event was held at the British Museum.
Marilyn gave a presentation and showed a film, Victims in their 80s and 90s being delivered around 70 scam letters a day.
Justice Awards Presentation
Mick Creedon Chair of the Criminal Justice Board/ Chief Constable of the Derbyshire Constabulary presented Think Jessica with an award in recognition of outstanding achievement in caring for victims.
ACPO Three Day Conference
Marilyn gave a presentation and showed video footage featuring a man in his nineties who has his criminal mail delivered in sacks.
Scam Mail is Black Mail
Posters go on 1000 billboards across the country (courtesy of Titan Outdoor)
Media coverage at the unveiling of the first poster at ST Pancras Station.
Marilyn interviewed by Penny Smith on GMTV and also on BBCs Working Lunch.
Scams Pilot
Hampshire County Council runs a pilot to help warn residents, run in conjunction with the OFT and the Royal Mail.
Postal workers are to putting letters through the door of those they think are receiving scam letters.
Think Jessica says;
Unfortunately this pilot was unsuccessful; the chronic victims did not recognise that they were being scammed and did not contact the help line on the letter. Proving that the only way to help chronic victims; is to stop the scam mail going through the door in the first place.
This Morning
Paul Wilson (Real Hustle) and Marilyn interviewed by Eamon and Ruth
Tonight ITV
Think Jessica featured and linked from the Tonight website
Yours Magazine
Referring readers to Consumer Direct & Think Jessica
Radio Northhampton
Reference to the Think Jessica website.
Action on Elder Abuse
Join thousands of others by linking to the Think Jessica website
National Fraud Authority Summit
Think Jessica raises awareness to scam mail...
Greater Manchester Police link to the Think Jessica website
Dyfed Powys Police
Dyfed Powys Police are giving great ongoing support to the Think Jessica campaign
Contact the Elderly
Link to Think Jessica; with over 4,500 volunteers, they relieve the loneliness often felt by those who live alone with little or no social support.
Mature Times
Article about Think Jessica warning people not to reply to any mail that offers good fortune.
Mature Times is the UKs leading campaigning paper for the over 50s.
Friends of the Elderly
Another caring charity join Think Jessica; by helping us to reach out to thousands of silent victims, who are being tricked, "befriended" and threatened by criminals from all over the world.
BBC The One Show
Marilyns pre-recorded interview was shown along with film footage of a victim in his 90s who receives upwards of 50 scam letters a day.
This chap is clearly worn out by having to open, read and sort through so many scam letters on a daily basis.
He admits he sent £3,000 to one of the scams. The advice given was "not to respond" when the cameras stopped rolling he continued with his quest to win a big cash prize.
Hero's Award
Trading Standards Institute CEO Ron Gainsford presented Marilyn with a Hero's award...Think Jessica is the voice of millions of silent victims of fraud.
Consumer Affairs & Trading Standards Annual Conference/Exhibition
Marilyn on the panel Question Time "Do You Feel Safe in Your Community?" facilitator TV presenter Julia Bradbury.
BBC Radio Cornwall
They are being inundated by calls from listeners who have received and responded to scam mail.
The radio station is dedicating the month of July to raising awareness and putting out warnings.
20 elderly people in Cornwall, collectively handed over £350,000 to a prize draw scam!
Think Jessica is happy to be involved.
Met Police
They are using Think Jessica as a way of warning people not to be tempted to reply with cash to an unknown source.
Thousands of Think Jessica booklets are being distributed.
City Hall London
Marilyn invited by New Scotland Yard to give a presentation at the Safeguarding Adults Conference.
The OFT showed photographs of mountains of scam mail victims can receive in one day.
Paul Wilson (Real Hustle) hosted the event.
Age Concern & Help the Aged Wales
Marilyn was key note speaker on mail scams and showed video footage of relatives of chronic victims who are fighting alone against serious organised crime.
Attended by Robert Taylor OBE, chief executive age Concern Cymru & Help the Aged Wales.
Woman's Own magazine
Slightly confused piece about Jessica; however a great article for getting warning messages out about postal and various other scams.
Martin Lewis supports Think Jessica
Martin records a warning message for the Think Jessica free phone helpline.
ITN News
22,000 people replied with cash to a P.O. Box address in Somerset. Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) raided the premises before the mail was moved abroad. Envelopes containing £500,000 were seized. All cash will be returned to the victims along with a letter referring them to Think Jessica.
One criminal gang was estimated to be making £35 million a year.
Marilyn interviewed on GMTV with Mike Haley from the OFT and also on
- Radio Derby
- Radio Sheffield
- Radio Shropshire
- Radio three Counties (Milton Keynes)
- Radio Birmingham
- The Jeremy Vine Show
- Radio Wales (with Director General Bill Hughes from SOCA)
- Radio 5 Drive
- Central News
- ITN News
- National newspapers ran the story.
Mail on Sunday
One third of over -60s conned by phone and post.
Think Jessica campaign details highlighted.
GMTV
The Baroness spoke about raising awareness.
Marilyn enforced the need for "Jessica Syndrome" to be recognised as a condition that needs specialist help.
The Baroness invited Marilyn to the launch of the National Fraud Authority (NFA) that evening. They discussed the financial and emotional devastation scam mail causes to the most vulnerable.
Meeting with Consumer Minister Gareth Thomas
Marilyn gave Gareth evidence of victims who are being delivered over 100 scam letters a day by the Royal Mail.
She informed him that the only help available for chronic victims and their relatives was lip service and how more and more criminals were jumping on the scam mail bandwagon and how "suckers" lists are used to repeatedly target those snared.
She also informed him of how the Australians deal with scam mail (link at the bottom of campaign page) and how all these victims will need to be supporting by the tax payer when they have been robbed of their wealth.
She left the minister looking at the Think Jessica website.
Marilyn was interviewed in Parliament Square by ITV. This went out in various regions.
Pick Me Up Magazine
Referring people to the Think Jessica website and also giving out the P.O Box address, enabling those without internet access to get in touch.
Neighborhood Watch
Thousands of maildrops with Think Jessica details were distributed by Neighborhood Watch.
House of Commons
Marilyn invited by the OFT to the launch of Scamnesty 2009. Her speech highlighted the plight of thousands of chronic victims and cases that Think Jessica has been alerted to by their family members.
Age Concern; Help the Aged, Trading Standards and postmen/woman all over the country.
She also advocated the issue of scam mail alert forms to all postal delivery workers, so they can hand them in to their managers thus allowing silent victims to receive help, support and protection.
She was introduced to the Ministers.
Candis Magazine
Candis magazine carried a full page article about Think Jessica
Derbyshire Times & Evening Telegraph
Families, carers and postal workers report more silent victims of fraud.
Victim/Witness Conference
Marilyn addressed the Victim/Witness conference held in Roehampton, London
Trading Standards Kent
Agencies/organisations and charities put links to the Think Jessica website
