Hero Awards: Northern Ireland banker recognised as a hero for saving consumers £1.2m

Posted 20/06/18

Customer Protection Manager, Simon Skinner, 45, of Northern Ireland-based RBS/Ulster Bank has been awarded the prestigious Hero Award from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), having saved consumers an incredible £1.2m in safeguarding them from potential scams.

Simon, from County Down, has put his “heart and soul” into training frontline cashiers to understand how criminals coach customers and how to be alert to unusual transaction requests, what to ask and how to react to help protect the people in the community.

He moreover undertook the “friends against Scams” and the “Dementia Friends” training to help raise awareness of scams in County Down, his local community, according the Department for the Economy Northern Ireland who nominated Simon for the award.

Most recently he played a key role in establishing the new “Police Banking Protocol” within their bank and has run awareness raising scam sessions with the local business community via the Ulster Bank “boost seminars.”

The CTSI Hero Award celebrates individuals or groups of people whose outstanding contribution towards consumer protection in our communities have made a significant impact. Every year, the Institute is inspired by the stories of nominees throughout the country whose bravery, altruism and hard work often goes unnoticed.

Chief Executive at CTSI, Leon Livermore, said: “Simon is an asset to his community and a force to be reckoned with. He clearly goes above and beyond the call of duty and has protected many from falling victim to rogue traders.

Staff Officer at the Department for the Economy Northern Ireland, Beverly Burns, added: “Simon has played an active role in raising awareness in Northern Ireland and is determined to provide a consumer protection function not just for Ulster Bank customers but the community at large.”

Simon was presented with the CTSI Hero Award at a special ceremony, which took place on Wednesday 20 June, at One Great George Street, London. He was honoured alongside eight other Heroes of consumer protection.   

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

Pictured from left to right: Robert Wright, College of Fellows. Simon Skinner, Hero Winner. Malcolm Craig, CTSI Chair.

 

For press queries/accreditation, email CTSI Press Office: [email protected], or call 01268 582240.

Sponsored by: 

CTSI College of Fellows

The College of Fellows is a charity that has supported CTSI and the trading standards profession for more than 60 years. It promotes educational and research activities, as well as providing help for the families and dependants of trading standards professionals who die in service, and in other times of crisis.

Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)

CTSI is a training and membership group that has represented the interests of the Trading Standards profession since 1881 nationally and internationally. We aim to raise the profile of the profession while working towards fairer, better informed and safer consumer and business communities.

CTSI’s members are engaged in delivering frontline trading standards services in local authorities and in businesses. www.tradingstandards.uk.

Scams Awareness Month

Scams Awareness Month is an annual opportunity to raise awareness and take a stand against the crimes and predatory practices which affect millions of people. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has teamed up with Citizens Advice and the Consumer Protection Partnership (CPP) to ensure trading standards services can raise awareness of scams across the country.

This year’s campaign, ‘Don’t miss a trick, be scam aware’, will continue to focus on those frequently targeted for scams. Working with trading standards, Citizens Advice have identified four groups most likely to be targeted by scams: young people (18-24), life established (40s-60s), over 70s and the socially isolated. Each week of the campaign will focus on one of these four key groups.

---