In Scams Awareness Month, Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service will tell you how to spot a potential scam victim and what can be done to protect them.

During the month, Warwickshire residents have sent in hundreds of scam letters and emails they have received.

There are a number of warning signs indicating a person may have become a victim of a scam. Scam victims usually receive lots of junk mail – often hundreds of letters each week. This is because when they respond to scam mail, they are placed on special lists used by scam mail senders.

Many victims have houses full of cheap looking jewellery or health products that they have been conned in to buying. They may also receive frequent phone calls from strangers or become very secretive when discussing finances with family or friends (because they have been duped out of their life savings).

One of the best ways of preventing scam victims from falling prey to further scams is to reduce the amount of junk mail/scam mail they receive.

Here are some suggestions:

·    Avoid filling in marketing surveys or questionnaires. Junk/scam mailers buy this information to send junk mail, unwanted emails and make high sales telephone calls.
·    Have your name/address removed from directories such as www.192.com. Such directories can provide an important service. Organisations/businesses can use these directories to legitimately obtain names and addresses but consumers can request to have their details removed.
·    Write ‘unsolicited mail, please return to sender’ on junk mail with a return address and put it back in the post unstamped. This may increase the mailers costs and discourage them from sending more.
·    Register regularly with the Mailing Preference Service (free of charge) visit: www.mpsonline.org.uk/ There is a similar free scheme for unwanted telephone calls called the Telephone Preference Service, visit http://www.tpsonline.org.uk
·    When you fill out your annual electoral registration form, choose for your details not to be added to the ‘Edited Electoral Register’.
·    Always tick the opt out boxes to say that you don’t want any further information about ‘other products and services’ etc. when you have to give your name/address to businesses
·    Help stop unaddressed mail by opting out of Royal Mail’s door to door service, visit: www.royalmail.com

Lastly, never respond to a scam email or bogus telephone call. Don’t provide them with any information – personal or financial. Delete scam emails and put the phone down on bogus callers.

More information on scams is available on our website: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams

You can also report a fraud to Action Fraud on: 0300 123 2040 or visit: www.actionfraud.police.uk

The Citizens Advice consumer service provides free, confidential and impartial advice on consumer issues. Visit www.adviceguide.org.uk or call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06 or 0208 1850 710 (English language).

Warwickshire County Cllr Richard Chattaway Chair of Bede and Poplar Community Forum and Warwickshire County Councillor for the Poplar Ward Julie Jackson, launch the No Rogue Trader Zone in Bedworth.

From Monday 28 May residents of 177 properties will be issued with a No Rogue Trader door/window sticker and information booklet following the theme of staying safe from cowboy traders. Street signage will reinforce the No Rogue Trader message and act as a warning to rogue traders that they will be reported if they attempt to trade in the area.

A survey of residents in the “hot spot” area highlighted that two thirds had had a doorstep visit from a trader in the last year and 59% considered doorstep sellers a problem.

Residents reported people selling household cleaning items (dusters etc.) , beds and double glazing and offering tree-cutting, roof repairs and driveway surfacing services.

Many complained that the callers did not wear ID, were persistent, threatening difficult to get rid of and kept coming back day after day.

This information, along with intelligence from Warwickshire Police and Warwickshire Standards Service has enabled funding for a No Rogue Trader Zone.

This is the seventh ‘No Rogue Trader Zone’ to be established in Warwickshire.

The zones aim to discourage rogue traders such as cowboy builders and sales people selling poor quality items at inflated prices or using high pressure sales tactics.  The zones will also discourage those who use door step selling as the cover for a distraction burglary.

Chair of Bede and Poplar Community Forum, Warwickshire County Cllr Richard Chattaway said: “We are pleased to have taken this up on behalf of the residents and I would like to thank Officers for taking action in a speedy manner to deliver this no rogue trader zone.”

Julie Jackson, Warwickshire County Councillor for the Poplar Ward said: “The residents of Bedworth have raised concerns about doorstep crime and I am delighted that these roads will now be able to benefit from this initiative, as other parts of Warwickshire already have.”

“The No Rogue Trader Zone initiative seeks to protect the most vulnerable and elderly people in our community and stop the bogus callers who seek to intimidate, con and scare people for their own monetary gains.”

“Residents in the area still need to be vigilant and look out for themselves and their neighbours. We know there are Rogue Traders out there but with this campaign we can stop them.  Remember Suspect It, Report It.”

Each resident will receive an information and advice pack and a doorstep sticker. Residents are encouraged to report any suspicious activity to the Rapid Response Team via the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06. Officers will reply either in person or by phone to a report of a suspicious caller in the area.

• The 5 roads in the No Rogue Trader Zone are: Drayton Road, York Avenue, Wordsworth Road, George Elliot Avenue, Shelly Close.
• Residents were consulted in January 2012.
• The Yee Ha campaign is also successfully operating in Rugby, Warwick, Kenilworth, Southam and Dordon.
• Yee Ha was originally designed and developed by Sandwell Trading Standards and West Midlands Police.

Lock down scam: Warwickshire computer users have contacted Trading Standards after receiving an ‘official’ looking message on their computer screen, claiming to be from the Police. The message suggests that they have visited an inappropriate website and that their computer has been ‘locked down’. They are asked to send £100 in Ukash vouchers in order to ‘unlock it’. The scam is believed to be caused by an Internet virus.

We have money for you scam: If you receive a letter, telephone call or email claiming you are owed money, usually for payment protection insurance, a personal injury claim, a lotto win or tax refund – then beware! If you show interest you will be asked to send £100+ in Ukash vouchers in order to receive the bogus payment. One Warwickshire consumer sent £3000 worth of Ukash vouchers to people he thought had obtained for him a refund for his bank charges.

Cheque scam: Warwickshire businesses have reported receiving orders for goods and services, paid for by cheques which are for a higher amount than the real cost. One Warwickshire trader received a cheque for £2450 for a pilate class worth £35. The trader was asked to use the remaining money to pay for an air ticket for the ‘consumer’ and keep the rest! In reality, these cheques or either forged or stolen. The cheque initially clears and when the money appears in the traders account, the scammers hope that they will send money or pay for the air ticket. However, when the bank discovers that the cheque is bogus, the money is removed from the traders account and they have lost out!

Avoiding scams – 5 simple rules

1. Never send money to anyone who says you’ve won the lottery
2. Never give out your bank account details or other personal information to people you do not know or trust.
3. Never feel pressured to respond immediately, however enticing the offer may seem.
4. Never send money in response to bogus psychic mailings or email/computer messages
5. If something sounds too good to be true it probably is!

Criminal gangs, (often operating from abroad), use the post, email, fax and telephone to send out millions of scams ever year. They are usually sent out indiscriminately, but those who respond are then added to special lists and targeted.

Trading Standards wants Warwickshire residents and businesses to forward any potential scam letters, emails or details of phone calls to them at the following FREEPOST address:

Scams Awareness Month 2012, FREEPOST CV1898 Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards Service, Old Budbrooke Road, WARWICK CV35 7BR

This information will be recorded and used to investigate the scale of the problem both in Warwickshire and across the country.

More information on scams is available on our website: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams

You can also report a fraud to Action Fraud on: 0300 123 2040 or visit: www.actionfraud.police.uk

The Citizens Advice consumer service provides free, confidential and impartial advice on consumer issues. Visit www.adviceguide.org.uk or call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06 or 0208 1850 710 (English language).

Trading Standards Officers and Warwickshire Police can now stop businesses selling alcohol for up to two weeks where the retailer is found to have made two or more sales of alcohol to children in a three month period.

For many stores that rely wholly or predominately on the sale of alcohol for their profits, such as off-licenses, preventing a retailer from selling alcohol can often have a significant effect upon a business – effectively closing it for trade.

These new powers offer Trading Standards Services the opportunity to take quick and decisive action against problem businesses, whilst still allowing officers to take a full prosecution if a business transgressed further.

Warwickshire County Councillor Richard Hobbs, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said: “Most retailers understand the problems caused by under-age drinking, to the health of young people and in terms of anti-social behaviour in the community. They take their responsibilities seriously and ensure that children and young people cannot buy alcohol.

“However, there remains a small minority who despite education, support and warnings, continue to sell to under 18s. This new power will help us to take quick and decisive action against them which will have an effect not only on their alcohol sales, but their entire business.”

In the latest undercover test purchase exercise, 17 alcohol retailers were visited across North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth and Rugby. Businesses that were suspected of selling alcohol to children were targeted and four sales of alcohol were made to 15 year old child volunteers.

• Nuneaton and Bedworth and North Warwickshire: 11 alcohol test purchases attempted and one sale made (in North Warwickshire).
• Rugby: six alcohol test purchases attempted and three sales made.

Warwickshire Trading Standards uses information and intelligence gathered from local communities to target problem businesses and investigations by Warwickshire Trading Standards Service are now on-going.

• A recent survey has revealed that 20 per cent of 13-year-olds drink alcohol at least once a week. In 2009, the Chief Medical Officer advised that under-15s should not be drinking alcohol at all.
• Alcohol misuse is a major public health problem, placing a heavy burden on society, and affecting a large number of individuals of all ages.
• A new national alcohol strategy was published in March 2012.
• In Warwickshire, alcohol is key public health priority having featured in the Director of Public Health’s annual report of 2011; it is a cross-cutting priority for all four Community Safety Partnerships; and there is Warwickshire wide alcohol implementation plan supported by all key stakeholders.

Under 18?

Contact Compass Warwickshire for drug and alcohol advice, information and specialist treatment on freephone 08000 88 72 48. The service is available between the hours of 9am and 5pm. Please leave a message if your call isn’t answered – someone will get back to you.

More information from – http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/alcohol

In addition to the new powers detailed above, brought in following an amendment to the Licensing Act 2003, Trading Standards Officers also have the option to prosecute as an alternative. The offence of persistently selling alcohol to children now carries a maximum fine of £20,000 (raised from £10,000) and following conviction, a Magistrates court could suspend the retailers licence to sell alcohol for up to three months.

Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards Service is distributing a popular booklet entitled ‘Your guide to…Buying your first car’ to sixth form students across Warwickshire.

The booklet contains lots of useful advice on how best to shop around when looking for a new or used car, what checks you should make before you buy and information on car finance.

Buying a car can be a big purchase for a young person and Trading Standards Officers want to ensure they get it right. The booklet covers all the basics and includes useful websites for further information.

A downloadable copy of the booklet is available at: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/tradingstandardsleaflets together with a range of other consumer vehicle leaflets.

Help is also available to anyone who has a car related consumer complaint.

Citizens Advice consumer service provides free, confidential and impartial advice on consumer issues. Visit www.adviceguide.org.uk or call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06 or 0208 1850 710(English language).

May is National Scams Awareness Month and Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service wants Warwickshire residents and businesses to forward any potential scam letters, emails or details of phone calls to them at the following FREEPOST address:

FREEPOST CV1898
Warwickshire County Council
Trading Standards Service
Old Budbrooke Road
WARWICK  CV35 7BR

Mark your letter ‘Scams Awareness Month 2012’.

This information will be recorded and used to investigate the scale of the problem both in Warwickshire and across the country.

Criminal gangs, (often operating from abroad), use the post, email, fax and telephone to send out millions of scams ever year. They are usually sent out indiscriminately, but those who respond are then added to special lists and targeted.

Common Scams include:

• Prize draw and sweepstake scams
• Foreign lottery scams
• Email ‘phising’ scams
• Premium rate and telephone prize scams
• Work at home and business opportunity scam
• Pyramid selling and chain letter scams
• Miracle health and slimming cure scams
• Clairvoyant and psychic mailing scams
• Bogus holiday clubs
• Advanced fee frauds, and
• Bogus business publishing offers

Warwickshire County Councillor Richard Hobbs, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said:

“It is estimated that £3.5billion pounds each year are lost from the economy to scams and across the UK almost half the population have been targeted at one time or another.”

“Three million people in the UK fall victim to these types of scams every year.”

“Our goal throughout this month is to raise awareness of these many scams, how to spot them and how to protect vulnerable people from falling victim to them.”

“Whilst there is almost a different scam for every day of the year, there are five simple rules that everyone can follow to help avoid being scammed.”

Warwickshire Trading Standards 5 Simple Rules

1. Never send money to anyone who says you’ve won a prize or the lottery
2. Never give out your bank account details or other personal information to people you do not know or trust.
3. Never feel pressured to respond immediately, however enticing the offer may seem.
4. Never send money in response to bogus psychic mailings.
5. If something sounds too good to be true it probably is!

More information on scams is available on our website: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams

You can also report a fraud to Action Fraud on: 0300 123 2040 or visit: www.actionfraud.police.uk

The Citizens Advice consumer service provides free, confidential and impartial advice on consumer issues. Visit www.adviceguide.org.uk or call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06 or 0208 1850 710(English language).

• The Office of Fair Trading estimates that over three million people in the UK fall victim to mass marketed scams every year, collectively losing £3.5billion.
• Fewer than 5 per cent of victims report their experience – one reason the OFT and local authority Trading Standards Services carry out public reporting drives for scam mailings.
• Research has suggested that an estimated 28 million UK consumers are targeted each year by scams, which exploit low cost, mass marketing techniques such as post, telephone, e-mail and the Internet.

Trading Standards Officers visited 20 restaurants and takeaways, at random, in Stratfordupon Avon, Leamington Spa, Nuneaton and Rugby and purchased 39 lamb curries and lamb kebabs. These were then tested to see what meat they actually contained and to check for high levels of artificial colours.

Lamb is typically the most expensive meat consumers can buy, followed by beef and pork with chicken being the cheapest. Trading Standards Officers wanted to check that consumers were getting what they expected – and paid for.

Incredibly, none of the 20 lamb kebabs sampled contained just lamb. They all contained a mixture of lamb together with either pork, beef or poultry (chicken).

Trading Standards Officers understand that some restaurants may be knowingly using chicken in their lamb kebabs as it helps to ensure the meat sticks together around the skewer during cooking.

Of the 19 lamb curries tested, only three contained just lamb. Again, most contained a mixture of lamb together with either beef or poultry (chicken).

Four lamb curries didn’t contain any lamb at all.

The foods were also checked for high levels of artificial colourings. Adults can be adversely affected by artificial colours, and in children trigger hyperactivity.

Although none of the curries were found to contain high levels of colours, 70 per cent of the kebabs tested did. One contained levels of artificial colouring that were 18 times higher than permitted, another was 13 times higher. This may be due to human error in preparation of the marinades used by the restaurants and take-aways to give the kebab colour.

Warwickshire County Councillor Richard Hobbs, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said: “Trading Standards carry out important work to help ensure that the food we eat is correctly described and safe.”

“Consumers rely on accurate food descriptions. Some foods are not permitted to be eaten by some religions and cultures whilst some people may wish to avoid some foods because of allergy concerns.”

“Consumers should also have the confidence that if they are buying an expensive product such as lamb, that they are not getting chicken instead, a meat that is half the price.”

“Warwickshire Trading Standards will now be contacting every restaurant and takeaway involved. Further investigations are to be carried out and advice will be provided to retailers and the wholesale trade.”

“The passing of a custodial sentence in this case illustrates that the courts take the crime of manufacturing and selling counterfeit goods very seriously.”

“The sale of fake goods threatens the livelihoods of genuine Warwickshire businesses and generates money that is then often used to fund other serious criminal activity.”

“The sellers of counterfeit goods in Warwickshire are warned that you will be caught and action taken against you.”

Warwickshire Trading Standards periodically sends the counterfeit clothing it seizes to the International Aid Trust which debrands the items and donates them to people in need across the world.

Trading Standards Officers have received complaints about the activities of traders who are visiting consumers homes and using electronic devices which they claim can determine cardiovascular (or heart) health, blood pressure and the ‘biological age’ of the subject.

Health professionals at the Arden Cluster (NHS Warwickshire and NHS Coventry) are concerned that people may be given inappropriate advice by door step traders who are not medically qualified.

Trading Standards Officers believe that consumers may be pressured in to buying unnecessary health monitoring equipment or dietary supplements.

NHS Warwickshire’s advice to people who have specific concerns about their cardiovascular health is to discuss the matter with their GP. Any one who is generally concerned about looking after their health is advised to stop smoking, maintain a healthy weight, keep physically active and eat a healthy balanced diet.

Dr Francis Campbell, Medical Director at the Arden Cluster, said:

“Door to door traders are not the most suitable people to turn to if you have health concerns.”

“No trained, professionally qualified medical person will cold call at your home.”

“If you are concerned about your health, you require appropriate medical advice and should speak to your GP, pharmacist, or call NHS Direct or Warwickshire Healthline.”

To contact NHS Direct phone: 0845 46 47 or visit www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

To contact Warwickshire Healthline phone: 03000 247 111.

The Citizens Advice consumer service provides free, confidential and impartial advice on consumer issues. Visit www.adviceguide.org.uk or call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06.

Businesses require information on topics as diverse as the labeling of honey and the sale of traditional Chinese herbal remedies, to the advertising of cars and the importation of toys. They look to Warwickshire Trading Standards for advice and guidance.

Trading Standards helps new and existing businesses of all shapes and sizes including large companies with a national and international presence, to traders who run their businesses from home.

Trading Standards Officers assist businesses to meet their legal responsibilities and obligations, helping them to get it right first time and saving businesses time and money in the process.

Businesses requiring help and advice can contact Warwickshire Trading Standards on 01926 414040 or email: tradingstandards@warwickshire.gov.uk.

The service has a wide range of self help business guidance leaflets, visit: http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/tradingstandards

You can also follow Warwickshire Trading Standards on its new business advice and information twitter, visit: www.twitter.com/warkstss