Trading Standards Alerts

 Press Releases from Consumer Direct

Consumer Direct issue press releases on topical subjects to give precautionary advice to consumers.

'Bogus Letter' - Warning for Businesses

The Food Standards Agency is warning food business operators about bogus letters claiming to be from them demanding payment for supposed breaches of food safety regulations. The one letter that has been drawn to the Agency's attention demands payment of £1,000.

Local Shop Prosecuted for Underage Sale of Cigarettes

Borough of Poole Trading Standards team has successfully prosecuted newsagents Martin McColl Ltd in the Dolphin Centre , Poole, for selling cigarettes to a 15-year-old boy.

On Monday 17 November a solicitor representing the company pleaded guilty at Wimborne Magistrates Court . Martin McColl's received a fine of £1,350 and was ordered to pay costs of £2,000.

The case was brought following a routine test purchase carried out by Environmental and Consumer Protection Services (E&CPS) Trading Standards team.

In February, a young male volunteer under the supervision of Trading Standards officers was instructed to attempt the purchase of age-restricted products from 8 shops in the Poole area. He successfully bought cigarettes from 3 of those tested.

On this occasion the member of staff from Martin McColl's made no attempt to ask the volunteer for proof of age and proceeded to sell the cigarettes. The volunteer was told to state his real age if challenged by a member of staff.

All of the shops tested had previously been given advice on how to comply with the law relating to the sale of age-restricted products.

The purchases were part of an ongoing campaign to monitor the sale of a range of age-restricted products including cigarettes, alcohol and fireworks.

Borough of Poole works with local businesses in the area to ensure they have current information and comply with the law regarding the sale of age-restricted products. Businesses are also offered a CD-ROM developed to help shop staff understand their role and responsibility which includes the main guideline 'No proof of age, No sale'.

Peter Haikin, Regulatory Services Manager, Borough of Poole, said: "It is very disappointing that Martin McColl's failed the test purchase. It is the responsibility of the company to provide training for its staff and to ensure correct procedures are carried out and clearly this was not the case in this situation. The outcome of this case should provide a clear message to other businesses that the sale of age-restricted products to young people will not be tolerated. The Trading Standards team will continue to carry out test purchases and prosecute offenders, as it is our responsibility to protect the young people of Poole."

The test purchasing campaign can only continue with the help of young volunteers. Environmental & Consumer Protection Services would like to hear from young people aged 15 with parental consent who would be willing to be involved. For further information please call 01202 261700 or email environment@poole.gov.uk

OFT warns consumers about sinister new twist to prize draw scams

27 October 2008

The OFT is today warning consumers about a sinister new twist to prize draw scams in which the victims are unwittingly being used to help defraud others.

"Think Once, Think Twice, Think Scam"

A bogus email, telling recipients they have been chosen to receive a cash grant or donation from a  £1 million pot of money, has taken the name of 'Trading Standards Central UK'.    It has no connection with the legitimate Trading Standards Institute (TSI) within the UK and should be ignored/deleted.

This particular e-mail appears to originate in Poland, uses very poor English, and purports to notify the recipient that 'Trading Standards' has awarded them a cash grant or donation for their personal, education and business development.

Poland is not the only place that such scams originate - they can come from any country, including the UK.  A hint of how poorly worded the email is  is that it states that the board of Trading Standards UK, in conjunction with the UK Lottery and Euro Million Lottery, is giving out a yearly donation of £1 million - 'One Million Great British Pound Starlings [sic] Only' - as donations or grants to 100 international recipients.

Advice from the Trading Standards Institute is that anyone receiving an email that asks for money, their bank details, or for them to call an expensive telephone line, should not respond and should delete the message straight away.   Do not get involved in correspondence - and, if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

So "Think Once, Think Twice, Think Scam and don't be tempted to respond."

People who would like advice on bogus emails can contact . Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06

Anti-Counterfeiting 

The Anti-Counterfeiting Group has produced leaflets for consumer guidance:

• What is Product Counterfeiting?
• The Scale of Counterfeiting
• The Dangers of Fakes
• Links to Other Serious Organised Crime
• GET REAL...don't buy fakes
• Fakes on the internet

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News from the Charities Commission concerning Clothing Collection 'cons'

A new consumer awareness drive has been launched across England and Wales to help people check if a clothing collection is for charity or not. The aim is to ensure that people who want their donated clothes to go to a charity know what information to look out for on leaflets and bags that come through their letter box.

The initiative is being driven by a group of bodies including the Charity Commission, Cabinet Office, Trading Standards, local authorities and the Association of Charity Shops.

The group of bodies has produced a leaflet for householders with top tips to help check clothing collection leaflets. The leaflets are being delivered to households in particular areas where problems have been reported; the West Midlands, North-East London, Bristol and Gloucester.

Additional top tip leaflets can be printed off from all the participating group websites including Consumer Direct .

 Overseas Lottery Scams

The scam starts when people respond to mail, emails or phone calls (often sent from Canada, Australia or Spain) telling them they are being entered in a national lottery or some other prize draw. They soon receive a phone call congratulating them on winning the 'big prize'.

However, before they can claim the prize, victims are told they must send money to pay for taxes and processing fees. Often these calls are repeated and people send more money. UK consumers have lost thousands of pounds through such schemes. The prize doesn't exist and they never receive any winnings in return for their cash.

These scams usually ask for personal details - full name, date of birth, next of kin, bank account - and once you have given these they will ask for a substantial amount to "claim" your prize, to "register" and to pay "taxes". Don't Reply!

If you have lost money and become a victim of an overseas scam, the Office of Fair Trading would like to hear from you. Contact them by calling 0845 722 4499 or you can report the matter to Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06

Prize letters / E-mails:

You receive a letter stating you have won, or are guaranteed, a prize. You are asked to send a small fee or make an expensive phone call to claim the prize. The letter often uses deceptive wording to imply, without ever specifically stating, that you have won the prize.

You are very unlikley to receive a cash prizes. If you do send money, your name may be sold on to other fraudsters and you will find yourself bombarded with letters of a similar nature. These are invariably sent from outside the UK and Europe and are very difficult to stop.

If you get any letters like these our advice is "Don't Respond". Shred any personal details shown and throw the rest in the recycle bin.

Foreign money laundering:

You may receive e-mails, faxes or letters, usually from China, Nigeria or other African countries, with requests that you give your bank details so that the writer can 'transfer' money into this country through your account. In return you are offered a percentage of the millions which will be passing your way. The money is often linked to a change in government, a coup or the death of a long-lost relative. You run the risk of losing all the money in your bank account if you decide to take up this offer.

These scams are well-known as international fraud and are investigated by the police. A website has been set up where details of these scams can be logged - you can find it at www.nafn.gov.uk