scams

Police warn about cold callers in Derriford and surrounding areas

Devon and Cornwall Police have today issued a cautionary message to residents of Derriford and the surrounding areas including Widewell, Tamerton Foliot and Glenholt regarding unsolicited cold calls offering various services, including pressure washing and rubbish clearance services.

They are urging residents not to accept services offered by unsolicited doorstep callers as the risks...

Devon residents urged to remain vigilant as new COVID-19 scams continue to be identified

​ Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards Service is reminding residents to ‘stay home, stay safe and stay scam aware’, as new coronavirus (COVID-19) related scams continue to emerge.

Since the outbreak there has been a rise in scams exploiting the uncertainty surrounding coronavirus (COVID-19). These include medical kits that claim to prevent or cure the disease, counterfeit or...

Investment scams warning

Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards is issuing a warning for people to be aware of a spate of investment scams.

The Trading Standards service has received a number of complaints from people who have fallen for the scams, which claimed a high level of return for a minimal risk.

In fact, victims typically lost tens of thousands of pounds.

Trading Standards wants...

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Do you know your vishing from your phishing and smishing?

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau have reported a 7 per cent increase in the number of fraud offences recorded in England and Wales, compared to the previous year.

That’s more than 660,000 reports made to the intelligence bureau. But experts estimate that only 5 to 15 percent of all scams are reported, so the true number of fraud offences is likely to be considerably higher....

Be scam aware and know what you’ve signed up for

Scams by con artists have cost Plymouth residents around £600,000 in recent years and Plymouth City Council’s Trading Standards is working with Citizens Advice to raise awareness of consumer rights.

The figure is revealed as we mark National Consumer Week (27 November to 1 December 2017) – follow our local hashtag #ConsumerWeekPlym or the national one #NCW17 to find out more.

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Are you scam aware?

Trading Standards officers are calling on residents in Plymouth to expose scams and help stop more people from falling prey to clever cons that fleece them of thousands of pounds.

Scams Awareness Month launches on 1 July and will be highlighting how scams continue to flourish when people stay silent.

Figures show that less than five per cent of victims report scams to the...

Devon joins National Scams Team

Devon and Somerset Trading Standards Service has joined a national initiative to support victims of mass marketing scams.

The National Scams Team is a project funded by the National Trading Standards Board and hosted by East Sussex Trading Standards Service. It works with local trading standards authorities, and a range of other organisations including the Police and Royal Mail to help...

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Plymouth woman bombarded with prize draw scams

Plymouth City Council’s Trading Standards have revealed that a Plymouth woman was the target of hundreds of prize draw scams prior to her passing away.

Trading Standards was alerted by Mrs Norma White that her sister Colleen had been receiving hundreds of letters and phone calls from scammers even after she had passed away.

It is thought that Colleen was put on a list of those...