Trading Standards Notices
Kent Trading Standards advise consumers to be very careful when dealing with traders at their door. If you are approached by any person offering to carry out repairs to your property, turn them away and report the matter to trading standards via Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06. Have the confidence to say NO. Few jobs are so urgent that they need immediate attention.
New laws apply to any contract made between a consumer and a trader at the consumer’s home or place of work which is for a total payment of more than £35. Consumers have a right to a cooling off period and may cancel the contract within seven calendar days. The trader must provide these cancellation rights in writing. The trader commits an offence if they fail to provide this cancellation notice. The cancellation notice must contain certain information including the trader's identity and address and it must be given to the consumer when they agree to have the work done.
If you are considering work for your property it is always best to get written quotes from several reputable traders. To find a reputable trader ask for recommendations from friends and family and visit http://www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk/ to find a trader who has been vetted by Trading Standards. Consumer Direct can also provide details of Trading Standards Approved Traders and they can be contacted on
08454 04 05 06.
LATEST ADVICE
Kent Trading Standards has received a report of a banking scam involving ID fraud.
In this case a woman discovered that a Halifax bank account had been set up in her name without her knowledge. Criminals had used these bank account details to set up 5 mobile phone accounts. She later found out her neighbour had been similarly targeted. During a conversation with her neighbour she was told that they had received a letter from the Halifax but ignored it because they didn’t have a Halifax account. The woman encouraged her neighbour to investigate and they found that they too had an account opened in their name and various credit contracts set up.
Kent Trading Standards is warning people to check carefully any correspondence they receive from banks, building societies or other service providers. Do not ignore letters on the basis that you do not have an account with them. If you believe that you have been a victim of ID theft you should report the matter to the relevant bank or building society so that they can investigate the matter and involve the police if necessary.
For more information on identity theft and how to protect yourself refer to http://www.identitytheft.org.uk/.
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Kent Trading Standards have received reports of the following scams and is warning consumers to be vigilant when dealing with unsolicited doorstep callers, telephone calls, emails and letters.
· Bogus callers claiming to be from the Ministry of Justice. Consumers are informed that they are owed money in refunded bank charges and asked for their personal details – THE MINSTRY OF JUSTICE NEVER CONTACT CONSUMERS AND ASK FOR PERSONAL DETAILS IN THIS WAY
- Claims that you have won a prize but you have to phone a premium rate phone number. Although you may receive a prize the cost of the telephone call to claim it may be very high to cover the cost of the prize. Be wary of ‘scratch cards’ that are already included in newspapers and magazines.
- Unsolicited telephone calls claiming to rid your computer of viruses. These rogues often claim they are calling from Microsoft and that they can access your computer to get rid of viruses. According to Microsoft’s website they never make unsolicited phone calls to fix your computer. For more information visit: http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/security/online-privacy/msname.aspx
Kent Trading Standards is warning consumers to be very wary of anyone cold calling. Never disclose any personal or bank details to them. If you are in any doubt at all, end the call.
Please contact Consumer Direct on 0808 156 2256 or go to http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/ if you need further advice on your consumer rights, or you want to report any businesses or incidents you have concerns about.
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is warning people to steer clear of scam loan companies who take upfront fees but fail to provide credit or offer clearly unsuitable credit alternatives.
The OFT is alerting consumers after seeing a 50% year-on-year rise since 2009 in complaints about loan scams, particularly credit applications which involve the consumer 'wiring' or sending upfront fees through money transfer companies. People should be vigilant when dealing with or taking calls from loan companies that want upfront fees and who are not interested in consumers' credit history.
The OFT's “do’s and don'ts” to help consumers spot scam loan companies are:
Do:
- Do be very careful when dealing with loan companies that charge upfront fees
- Do be cautious if a loan company cold-calls you
- Do some research about the business offering the loan - look for proper phone numbers and physical addresses and ask for information in writing
- Do check that the company has a credit licence on the Consumer Credit Register at www.oft.gov.uk/ConsumerCreditRegister
Don't:
- Don't believe adverts which indicate a loan is 'guaranteed'
- Don't give out your card details 'for security reasons' as the company may then debit your bank account without you knowing
- Don't wire money to loan companies using money transfer services when applying for loans
- Don't go ahead with a loan if a company approves it and then demands a fee before you get the money.
David Fisher, OFT Director of the Consumer Credit Group said:
'We have seen an increase in complaints about companies who are not interested in the applicant's credit history, that ask for payment of fees upfront and then disappear with the money.
'We advise people to check out the company carefully before agreeing to anything, including asking for a landline number, a physical address and doing a search about the company online, as well as checking that they have a valid credit licence. If consumers think they have been approached or tricked by an advance-fee loan scam, they should report it to Consumer Direct.'
For advice on loan scams or any other consumer issues call Consumer Direct on 0808 156 2256 or visit www.direct.gov.uk/consumer. Free, confidential debt advice services are available for those facing financial difficulties through their local Citizens Advice Bureau by visiting http://www.citizensadvice.co.uk/.