Consumer Alerts - April 2022.pdf
Beware doorstep salesmen
A householder in the Preston area received a knock on the door from a salesman offering to replace window glass, stating they would get a £30 reduction if they agreed to being given a quote. After receiving the quote the salesman claimed that as part of the deal there would be a 50% discount given, but on further questioning it was explained that the householder would pay the full amount and claim the discount back once the windows had been fitted. The offer was not taken up.
Be wary of such offers, once you have paid it could prove difficult to get the supposed discount returned to you.
Trading Standards advice is to always use local, known, reputable traders, ask for recommendations from family or friends and get more than one quote. Always check that you have a full address for any trader you deal with, and the price to be paid is obtained in writing before work starts.
Trading Standards advice is to always say no to cold callers. The Safetrader scheme can help you find a trader in your area, contact 0303 333 1111 or go to www.safetrader.org.uk.
Scam calls for insurance cover
Beware receiving a telephone call offering to sell you various types of insurance cover such as for household appliances, kitchen protection, and roof repair. A resident in the Lancaster area had been sold many such insurance schemes, all on a monthly direct debit payment, some of them not even explaining what the cover was for, some duplicating cover already held.
Similar calls have also been reported to us from the Chorley area, including one for household appliance cover with the caller also offering a supposedly free household energy efficiency survey.
Please be wary of receiving such sales calls. Once you have agreed to one such policy your details can be passed to other similar businesses. Check your own household insurance policy and consider the price of the items allegedly being insured, in most cases these additional insurances are unnecessary.
Scam energy bill call
Beware receiving a telephone call claiming to be from a price comparison website you may have used in the past. The caller states they can reduce your energy bills as a special offer but the offer is for one day only and is limited to a small amount of customers so you have to act quickly.
This is a scam, after making enough calls the scammer will speak to someone who has recently used the referred to price comparison site and will be tempted to hand over their bank details. Be suspicious of calls, emails or texts offering to reduce energy costs, scammers may see the current energy price increases as a way to take advantage of customers.
Scam parcel delivery
A scam currently doing the rounds involves an unnamed parcel being delivered to a householders address. Shortly afterwards someone purporting to be from a courier service arrives to collect the parcel. After contacting the retailer, victims have found store accounts have been set up in their name, using their address details.
This type of scam can be reported to your bank, the Police and to Action Fraud who can be contacted via www.actionfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040.
The Safetrader scheme can help you find a trader in your area, contact 0303 333 1111 or go to www.safetrader.org.uk.
Contact the Trading Standards Service via the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133
Further information about current scams can be found on our Facebook page, Lancashire Trading Standards "Scambuster Stan"
