27 common scams to avoid

You can lock your doors against burglars, but making sure you don't fall victim to a scam - even in the safety of your own home - is much less straightforward.

More than 22,000 people were scammed in 2012, according to Citizens Advice , and fraudsters are constantly inventing ways to swindle you out of your cash. The month of May has been designated Scams Awareness Month by Citizens Advice and Trading Standards, and forewarned is forearmed so here are 27 to look out for, Kazinform has learnt from The Guardian.

Door-to-door scams

1. Fake Green Deal sales You answer your door to be told you are entitled to £10,000 of funding for Green Deal home improvements, such as insulation or a new boiler. You are then asked to pay an administration fee.

2. Unnecessary damp proofing You are offered a free damp proofing survey. The surveyor always finds damp which needs urgent attention, quotes a high price and requests an immediate deposit.

3. Home maintenance services A trader offers you a cheap quote to pave your patio or driveway, carry out home maintenance or gardening services, or repair "unsafe" roof tiles. They demand an upfront cash payment to start or finish the job - then scarper with the money or make unreasonable charges for botched work.

4. Food sales Someone offers to sell you (inedible) fresh or frozen fish very cheaply, but only if you are prepared to pay £100s for several boxes, sight unseen.

5. Fake energy-saving gadgets You are offered a plug-in gadget at a "sale price" of £99, which the seller claims will cut your electricity use by 40%.

Too good to be true' scams

6. Fake dates You join a dating website and are contacted by an extremely good looking potential date who lives abroad. After starting an online romance the scammer asks for money for emergency bills.

7. Council tax refunds You are told by a cold-caller that you are owed a rebate on your council tax bill or are overpaying because your property is in the wrong tax band. You are then asked to hand over your bank or credit card details so your money can be refunded.

8. Council tax discount You are told that if you start paying by direct debit you will get a discount - but first you need to pay an administration fee.

9. Dodgy job website You register your CV at a job site and quickly get a call or email from an employment agency guaranteeing you a job, but only if you first pay a fee.

10. Bogus pay cheque You are called or sent an email from someone who wants to give you a job, and offered a cheque in advance of your first payday. Cash the cheque and you'll be told you've been overpaid and must return the money via an online transfer - before the cheque bounces.

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