As part of Scams Awareness Month, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is highlighting the top five tricks used by fraudsters.

Although scams can be delivered in a variety of ways; through the post, by email, over the phone, or in person, most use the same basic techniques.

They are so successful, said the OFT, that they manage to deceive over three million UK consumers every year.

In addition to the work being carried out during Scams Awareness Month, the OFT has commissioned Exeter University to carry out research into the psychological techniques used to make scams believable. The findings will be published later this year.

The OFT has also launched two new interactive guides designed to help people understand how scams attract consumers. The new guides, featuring a 'fake slimming mailing' and an 'advance fee/419 scam email', contain 'pop-up' text highlighting the tricks used by the scammers to convince people that the offers are genuine. These can be found in the scams section of the Consumer Direct website.

Mike Haley, OFT director of consumer protection, said: "Scammers are expert at exploiting people's hopes and fears. Anyone can be conned but by learning to recognise the scammer's tricks we can all avoid becoming their next victim."

The top five tricks identified by the OFT are: