Rogue Traders
Been cheated by a caller or pressured to pay for repairs?
Find out who to contact if you suspect someone has been cheated by a trader or door to door sales person (often called rogue traders).
Doorstep rogue traders will often call unexpectedly, offering services or goods that you hadn’t asked for. They will offer to carry out work on your property, or sell you a product, at what seems like a reasonable price. In reality they are looking to trick you out of your money.
You shouldn’t feel pressured to accept any work or service you don’t want. It’s your home and your right to say no.
At First Contact Plus we work with our partner Trading Standards. They will help you by listening to your concern and assessing it; they can then look into the complaint made about the rogue trader.
Receiving a lot of scam mail or phone calls?
Find out who to contact if you suspect that someone is receiving scam mail claiming they have won money or could win money if they buy certain goods. Scam mail is targeted at people who the scammers feel will be vulnerable and believe they have won. There never is any prize and the victim will lose a lot of money in replying to this. If someone is receiving a lot of unwanted phone calls, these also can lead to significant financial losses.
At First Contact Plus we work with our partner Trading Standards. `They will help you by assessing the level of mail or calls you are receiving and will advise on how to reduce these.
Trading standards look at a variety of issues including door-step crime – this includes victims of financial crime involving services and goods. These crimes are often committed by preying on those that are lonely and befriending the victim, building a relationship. This can mislead the service user to think they are not a victim. Dementia sufferers or the elderly are most of risk, possibly living on their own. The victim isn’t usually the one to call trading standards; it tends to be a relative/friend/neighbour/visitor. Prosecutions do occur in some cases.
Trading standards look into legitimate companies crime who commit offences. These companies sell things like mobility aids, special beds, burglar alarms with very expensive monitoring contracts, solar panels, special paint to lower heating bills. Victims are usually dementia sufferers who are taken in by the websites and brochures.
Scam and spam victims are supported: including scam/spam calls, post and emails. The victim is persuaded into buying something or giving money. Examples: winning a lottery, finding relatives, buying goods through a catalogue, guaranteed to be in a prize draw and fake charities. There is a strong correlation between scam victims who give to charity. Trading standards teams have a special unit that deals with this type of crime.
First Contact Plus helps to bridge the gap between the victim and Trading Standards.
Can’t find the information on the website or need further support? You can fill in our online form below (red self-referral button in the bottom right corner) and we will get back to you within two working days.
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