Your latest bulletin from Suffolk Trading Standards
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Beware of solar panel scammers at your door, claiming to be working on behalf of the National Grid UK.

A Stowmarket resident received a knock on their door on Thursday 13th October from a man claiming to be from the National Grid, stating that he required access to the resident's property to service the solar panels. The resident asked the trader if the local Council were aware of him calling. The trader then advised that he was visiting on their behalf. The resident went on to asked for ID, with the trader claiming he'd left it in his van and he would go and get it so that the resident could inspect it. The trader never returned.

Please share with friends and family who have had solar panels installed.

Were you or a family member approached? Do you have any information on the traders calling, or a description of them or the vehicle(s) that were travelling in?

Trading Standards always advise residents to refrain from buying at the doorstep and not to buckle to pressure from salespeople offering supposedly one-off ‘buy it now’ low prices, or giving warning about your property.

Report all doorstep callers to us via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.

 
Watch out for these FAKE emails about the chance to win supermarket vouchers.

Action Fraud has received 277 reports in one week relating to supermarket giveaways. The emails state that the recipient is "one of 3 people in the final draw" for a £1000 supermarket voucher, and encourages people to use the provided links in order to confirm their details. The links provided in the emails lead to phishing websites that are designed to steal your personal information.

If you receive one, forward it to: report@phishing.gov.uk

Your reports have helped to remove 184,000 malicious sites as of September 2022.
 

UK Finance’s Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign is warning people to be alert to potential fraud, as more than half of the public (56 per cent) said they are likely to look for opportunities to make extra money in the coming months due to the rise in the cost of living.

This could leave some people more susceptible to fraud. One in six (16 per cent) Britons said the rising cost of living meant they are more likely to respond to an unprompted approach from someone offering an investment opportunity or a loan.

Young people in particular were more likely to be at risk. A third (34 per cent) of those aged 18 to 34 said they are more likely to respond to an unprompted approach from someone offering an investment opportunity or a loan, with 30 per cent saying they are also more likely to provide their personal or financial details to secure the arrangement.

Overall, three in five people (60 per cent) say they are concerned about falling victim to financial fraud or a scam. Recent figures from UK Finance showed that £609.8 million was lost due to fraud and scams in the first half of 2022.

Criminals always look to exploit situations where people are concerned about their finances, as we saw during the Covid-19 pandemic. With the rising cost of living, Take Five to Stop Fraud is warning of four key scams to be on the lookout for:

Purchase Scams – with 42 per cent of people saying they expect they’ll start to look for cheap deals online if the cost of living continues to rise, they may be tempted by criminals’ ‘too good to be true’ offers. Criminals will often trick people into securing a bargain by enticing them to make a quick bank transfer rather than use a more secure payment method.

Impersonation Fraud – criminals convince people to make a payment or give their personal and financial details to someone claiming to be from a trusted organisation such as a bank, government organisation or energy company- for example, text messages claiming to be from your council, offering you an energy rebate.

Investment Fraud – as the cost of living rises, 14 per cent of people say they may consider looking for new investment opportunities in the coming months, including investing in cryptocurrency. In investment fraud, criminals try to convince people to move their money into a fictitious fund or to pay for what later turns out to be a fake investment. The criminal will often promise high returns to entice victims.

Payment in Advance Fraud – one example of advance payment fraud relates to loans, with criminals requesting up-front fees for loans which never materialise.

To help people stay safe, the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign advice is to:

STOP: Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.
CHALLENGE: Could it be fake? It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
PROTECT: Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud.
 

Halloween is fast approaching and we would like to help ensure your celebrations don't turn into a nightmare.

Each year Trading Standards across the Country find many Halloween horrors, whether it be unsafe costumes or dangerous toys and accessories. 

Suffolk Trading Standards have witnessed this first-hand, with the Import Surveillance team having detained several hazardous Halloween items at the Port of Felixstowe, including 500 inflatable spider game and 96 Halloween hoppers, both of which were listed for sale on Amazon.

Phthalates, a group of chemicals that can cause damage to the liver, kidneys and lungs, were present on the inflatable spider game, which also had long cords that could pose a risk of strangulation.

The Halloween hopper contained a zip that broke off during a tension test, proving potentially deadly if swallowed by a small child.

Neither of the items had a CE or UKCA mark, used to indicate that a product has been assessed by the manufacturer and deemed to meet safety, health and environmental protection requirements.

How can you stay safe this Halloween?

When unpacking your Halloween decorations, make sure you check the electrical ones for signs of wear and tear, and throw away any that aren't up to scratch!

- Check your lights are not damaged or broken before use and look out for loose wires.
- Ensure all outdoor lights are connected via a 30mA RCD protected socket.
- Switch your lights off and unplug them before you go to bed or go out.

If you are buying any new electrical decorations, only buy them from reputable retailers and ensure they have a CE or UKCA mark.

Things to consider when buying Halloween outfits, toys and accessories for children:

- Has it got a CE or UKCA mark? Be aware that CE markings can be faked by counterfeiters, or those looking to cut corners.
- Who are you buying it from? Are you buying from a reputable retailer? Be extra careful when buying online.
- Check the packaging and labels. Make sure the packaging and product contain the manufacturers name and address.
- Check for product recalls: https://productrecall.campaign.gov.uk/
- Check safety instructions.

Take extra care when choosing Halloween make-up for children. The cosmetics you use must be labelled with the ingredients, manufacturer contact details, a durability, a batch number and the weight or volume.

If you have any concerns about the safety of a product, stop using it immediately and report it to us via 0808 223 1133.

www.suffolk.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/council-news/show/dont-get-tricked-this-halloween

 

Don't get tricked this Halloween

 

We hope you are having fun carving pumpkins ready for Halloween! But please remember that pumpkins can only be fed to livestock if they have NEVER entered a kitchen and the carving utensils have never been in contact with products of animal origin such as meat and dairy. This is to help prevent diseases like African Swine Fever. 

The term 'livestock' includes livestock species kept as pets such as pigs, sheep and cattle.

The ban on feeding kitchen waste to livestock was introduced after the devastation of foot and mouth disease - the most likely cause of the 2001 outbreak was catering waste being fed to pigs.

You CAN feed:
Fruit and vegetables that have never entered a kitchen and which have not come into contact with products of animal origin. The utensils used for cutting up the fruit and vegetables must also never have come into contact with products of animal origin.

Fruit and vegetables from a 100% vegan domestic kitchen. Everyone in the household must be vegan and no animal protein can be brought into the house - this includes dog and cat food.

Specially formulated animal feed, which is a safe and easy way to give your animals a balanced diet.

It is ILLEGAL to feed:
Food scraps and catering waste from any restaurant or commercial kitchen (this includes commercial vegan kitchens).

Domestic kitchen waste, including food from a vegetarian kitchen.

Following these practices is vital to prevent the spread of notifiable animal diseases such as African swine fever, which you can read more about here: www.gov.uk/government/news/african-swine-fever-risk-reminder

 

Poundland are recalling their Light Up Pumpkin and Ghost as they pose a risk of choking and internal injury.

Poundland Product Code: 536659
Sold in store from 1st October 2022

The battery compartment of the products are not secured by a screw, allowing easy access to the compartment and batteries. The button batteries may be placed in the mouth and swallowed, presenting a choking hazard for young children and causing damage to the gastrointestinal tract.

If you have bought the above products, do not use them. Instead return them to the store from where they were bought for a full refund. 

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Aldi are recalling their Kirton House Pumpkin Ceramic Tealight Wax Burner as it poses a fire risk.

The product may catch alight due to deposits on the inside of the burning chamber when fragrance/tall tealights are used. The product does not meet the requirements of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005.

Brand: KIRKTON HOUSE
Product code: 721799
Batches affected: PUMPKIN VARIANT ONLY - EAN 4088600518978

Customers are asked to return this product to their nearest store, where a full refund will be given.

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If you need advice, or want to report a scam or rogue trader,
call us via 0808 223 1133.
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