Driveway cleaning: Suffolk Trading Standards We have received a report of a trader approaching properties in Lowestoft offering to clean their driveways. At one property the resident declined the service but then found the trader carrying out the work without permission. The trader attempted to charge £650, but thankfully the resident stood their ground. Where you approached? Please contact us with any further information. Do not deal with doorstep callers offering work on your home or garden, and never pay in cash. Check that the tradesperson is from the company they say they are from. Ask for quotes in writing. Ring more than three traders to get a feel for an average price for the job. Remember traders must give you written notice of your right to 14 days cancellation when agreeing to do work at your home, including work gained from a cold call. If you believe a doorstep crime is happening or about to happen call us on 0808 223 1133 or the police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.
Ladder imports: We are very grateful to the Test and Research Centre (supported by the Ladder Association) for their help when our Import Surveillance officers come across ladders being imported via the Port of Felixstowe. Have a look at this great report they produced following a detainment of 2000 telescopic ladders back in July 2021: https://testandresearch.org/2000-unsafe-telescopic-ladders-stopped-at-port There really were some shocking findings. The worst being that these ladders buckled and broke during the strength tests, which would mean these ladders could break whilst in normal use – causing a fall from height and risk of injury or fatality. All ladders detained were destroyed.
Rental fraud: A Suffolk resident had a close call when searching for a property to rent, when they realised their interaction with the "landlord" was actually a fraudster looking to steal their money. The Bungay resident was searching for a property to rent in Norwich and found details online for a 3-bedroom flat for rent in Norwich for £450 per calendar month. They contacted the landlord who requested images of their passport, and who sent them a link to images and reviews of the property on AirBnB. It was then that the resident realised that the too good to be true price was exactly that. They noted the link they had received was in fact a fake AirBnB page. Although the Suffolk resident did not send any money, unfortunately they had already sent copies of their passport before realising the scam. This means they now need to be alert to identity theft. Rental fraud happens when would-be tenants are tricked into paying an upfront fee to rent a property. In reality, the property does not exist, has already been rented out, or has been rented to multiple victims at the same time. The victim loses the upfront fee they have paid and is not able to rent the property they thought they had secured with the payment. Rental fraudsters often target students looking for university accommodation. Identity fraud is when a criminal steals someone’s personal details and uses them to obtain credit or make a purchase. Fraudsters only need a few key bits of information pose as you to take out a loan, mobile contract, credit card or current account with an overdraft facility. A passport is a powerful piece of the puzzle that allows criminals to succeed in pulling this off as it contains sensitive information like your full name, date of birth and where you were born. If you think have provided any financial information to a fraudster, contact your bank immediately. If you have provided copies any personal documentation such as passports, driving licences, plastic cards, cheque books etc, you should report to the relevant organisation. Report all scams to us via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.
Scam messages: Almost three fifths of Brits (59%) say they have received a message-based scam in the last year - or know someone who has. According to recent research, these types of scam messages have been sent both via SMS text message (46%), or WhatsApp (13%), and unfortunately appear to be increasingly common. WhatsApp, Citizens Advice and the National Trading Standards' Friends Against Scams are working together to launch STOP. THINK. CALL., a new campaign to help educate people on how to protect themselves and their WhatsApp account from message-based scams. Stop, Think, and Call before you respond to a suspicious or unusual message.
STOP: Take Five before you respond. Make sure your WhatsApp two-step verification is switched on to protect your account; that you're happy with your privacy settings, and your six-digit pin is secure.
THINK: Does this request make sense? Are they asking you to share a PIN code which has been sent to you? Are they asking for money? Remember that scammers prey on people’s kindness, trust and willingness to help. Taking over your account could enable them to deceive others on your contact list.
CALL: Verify that it really is your friend or family member by calling them directly, or asking them to share a voice note. Only when you’re 100% sure the request is from someone you know and trust, should you consider it.
Food allergies: If you work in a restaurant, you have an important role in protecting people with food allergies. How you respond matters. Food allergies can be life threatening. Ensure your business is up-to-date with the latest allergen training to make it a safe and enjoyable environment for your customers with food allergies: https://www.food.gov.uk/AllergenChecklist
Recalls: Anthropologie are recalling the Anecdote Autumn Glass Candles as the candle may flame up, causing the glass container to crack or shatter while in use. This poses a risk of injury due to laceration, burns, or fire. There have been 11 reported incidents of the product cracking or shattering while in use. No injuries have been reported.
Style Number: 4552728890013
Scents: Fireside Chats, Weekend Getaway, Fall Feels, Sweater Weather
Colours: Blue, Green, Orange, Pink
Size: One size, 13.5 oz; 3.25” H, 4.25” diameter
Short SKUs: 63344923, 63344980, 63344964, 63344949
Retail Price: £30 GBP
The candles were sold in-store and online from July 2021. Customers should immediately stop using the candle. If you purchased the candle in store, you may return it to an Anthropologie store for a full refund. If you purchased the candle online or received it as a gift, please fill out and submit the form on the website below to receive your refund. https://www.anthropologie.com/en-gb/help/recall