Amazon Frauds: Beware of telephone calls being made by fraudsters pretending to be from Amazon. We’ve had reports of calls being made from individuals claiming your Amazon Prime subscription is due to expire, and will be automatically taken from your account. The recorded message asks you to press 1 to cancel or to speak to customer services. The call then goes through to a fraudster posing as an Amazon customer service representative. The fraudster advises the victim that remote access to their computer is required, and instructs them to download an app which grants the fraudster access to their computer. The software is then mis-used by the criminal to monitor the victim logging onto their online bank account, which allows the fraudster to see the victim’s personal and financial details. If you receive a call, claiming to be from Amazon, HANG UP! Do not provide any personal information, your Amazon log in details, banking details or credit/debit card information. Never install any software or visit a website as a result of a cold call. Unsolicited requests for remote access to your computer should always raise a red flag. Report any scam calls to Suffolk Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.
Sellers Beware! Rogue buyers are targeting those selling second-hand cars. One Felixstowe resident was contacted last week by a potential buyer for his vehicle, that he was selling on eBay. A viewing of the vehicle was arranged with three men arriving to examine the car. The seller took one of the men to test drive the vehicle, when suddenly the engine appeared to be smoking. The buyers insisted that they would still buy the car, but at a reduced price due to the engine failure. The seller declined, and had to firmly ask the men to leave, who continued to offer to buy at a greatly reduced price. The scam, which has been reported across the Country, sees con-artists secretly pour oil into the coolant reservoir of the vehicle for sale, and then offer a cut-price because they falsely claim the vehicle has a major fault. The scammers often arrive to view the car in pairs or threes and will try and distract the seller—one may ask to look at the engine whilst the other wants to see the spare tyre in the boot. When the car is taken for a test drive, the engine may smoke or make loud noises, which will prompt the scammers to ask for a cut-price deal.
Stay with the buyers - don’t leave them alone with the car or allow yourself to be distracted at the rear of the vehicle whilst someone is looking at the engine
Be aware of suspicious behaviour - scammers will often request an enormous discount due to the ‘fault’ with the vehicle
Be confident to refuse the sale - if you are doubtful about how genuine the buyer is, or you believe that something suspicious is going on, don’t hand over the keys.
Anyone who knows who was responsible or has also experienced a similar incident should contact Suffolk police.
Unsafe Goods: Suffolk Trading Standards Imports Surveillance Team detained 1,295 unsafe musical Egg Shakers from a consignment at the Port of Felixstowe. During drop and impact tests, the eggs broke open releasing the small inner balls, presenting a serious risk of choking. The products were incorrectly labelled and technical documentation could not be matched. Additionally, the flexible plastic bag used for packaging was tested and was found to pose an asphyxiation hazard due to its size. The eggs were destined for Amazon but have been removed from sale, with a further 379 units of inventory removed from their warehouse. If you have purchased a product that you think may be unsafe, stop using it immediately and report it to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.
Pet Purchasing: If you are thinking of buying a dog or puppy, we recommend that you paws for thought, and make some basic but important checks. You may have heard of ‘Catfishing’, where a stranger creates a fictional online persona to lure someone into a relationship. Deceitful pet sellers use a similar tactic to ‘Petfish’ unsuspecting buyers. These unscrupulous sellers pretend that the puppy or kitten they’re selling you comes from a happy home. In reality, the animal may have been bred or kept in poor conditions, illegally imported or may not actually exist.
Tips to consider when purchasing pets
When thinking of buying a pet, consider buying them in person from rescue centres or from reputable breeders - start by checking the Kennel Club’s Assured Breeder Scheme, or look for a licensed dog breeder, whose licence number must be shown in the advert. You can check with the local authority that these details are legitimate. If you’re rescuing a cat or dog, you can start by checking if the rescue organisation is a member of the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes. A good rescue and rehoming organisation will check your suitability first and usually use an adoption contract. They will help you choose the right dog or cat for you and give you advice on caring for your new pet.
Be cautious if the seller initially requests payment via one method, but later claims that due to ‘issues with their account’ they will need to take the payment via an alternative method such as a bank transfer.
Consider conducting research on other information provided by the seller, for example a mobile phone number or email address used by the seller could alert you to any negative information associated with the number/email address online.
Agree a suitable time to meet face-to-face to agree the purchase and to collect the pet. If the seller is reluctant to meet then it could be an indication that the pet does not exist.
A genuine seller should be keen to ensure that the pet is going to a caring and loving new home. If the seller does not express any interest in you and the pet’s new home, be wary.
If you think the purchase price is too good to be true then it probably is, especially if the pet is advertised as a pure-breed.
Do not be afraid to request copies of the pet’s inoculation history, breed paperwork and certification prior to agreeing a sale. If the seller is reluctant or unable to provide this information it could be an indication that either the pet does not exist or the pet has been illegally bred e.g. it originates from a ‘puppy farm’. A ‘puppy farm’ is a commercial dog breeding enterprise where the sole aim is to maximise profit for the least investment. Commercial dog breeders must be registered with their local authority and undergo regular inspections to ensure that the puppies are bred responsibly and are in turn fit and healthy. Illegally farmed puppies will often be kept in inadequate conditions and are more likely to suffer from ailments and illnesses associated with irresponsible breeding.
Report illegal pet sales to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.
Unsafe Saw Blades: The Office for Product Safety and Standards has identified that toothed saw blade attachments, available for sale for use with angle grinders, are unsafe. These attachments increase the risk of kick back and loss of control of the angle grinder when in use, which could lead to serious injury or fatality. Kick back is caused when the blade snags or strikes an object during operation causing the tool to be suddenly forced backwards towards the operator.
1 - If you have a toothed saw blade attachment, never use it on an angle grinder!
2 - If the attachment was sold for this purpose, contact the seller for redress.
3 - Businesses selling saw tooth blades as attachments for angle grinders must remove them from the market immediately as this does not comply with the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008.
4 - Members of the public are encouraged to report businesses selling these products to us via 0808 223 1133.
Under the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008, only safe machinery can be placed on the market. Angle grinders and all interchangeable equipment must comply with essential safety requirements. The relevant standard, BS EN 60745-2-3, requires product instructions to bear the following warning: ‘Do not attach a saw chain woodcarving blade or toothed saw blade. Such blades create frequent kickback and loss of control.’ Any attachments intended for use with angle grinders that increase the risk of kick back and loss of control are unable to meet the essential safety requirements and should not be used together. Consumers and users should only use attachment types on angle grinders that are recommended by the angle grinder manufacturer, and should always follow the instructions provided.
Cough Medicine: Following a scientific review by the MHRA on pholcodine-containing medicines, which are licensed to treat dry cough in adults and children over six years old, it has been found that there is evidence of an increased risk of the very rare event of anaphylaxis (a sudden, severe and life-threatening allergic reaction) in surgical patients who receive general anaesthesia involving neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA). NMBAs are used to relax the muscles during general anaesthesia for some surgical procedures. Based on advice from the independent advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), pholcodine-containing medicines are being withdrawn from the UK market as a precaution. If you are taking a cough medicine (including tablets and syrups), check the packaging, label or Patient Information Leaflet to see if pholcodine is a listed ingredient – if it is, and you have any questions, you can talk to your pharmacist who can suggest a different medicine suitable for you.
Products affected:
Boots Night Cough Relief Oral Solution, PL 00014/0230
Boots Dry Cough Syrup 6 Years+, PL 00014/0523
Boots Day Cold & Flu Relief Oral Solution, PL 00014/0565
Cofsed Linctus, PL 00240/0097
Care Pholcodine 5mg/5ml Oral Solution Sugar Free, PL 00240/0101
Galenphol Linctus, PL 00240/0101
Galenphol Paediatric Linctus, PL 00240/0102
Galenphol Strong Linctus, PL 00240/0103
Covonia Dry Cough Sugar Free Formula, PL 00240/0353
Pholcodine Linctus Bells Healthcare 5mg Per 5ml Oral Solution, PL 03105/0059
Numark Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml Oral Solution, PL 03105/0059
Well Pharmaceuticals Pholcodine 5mg per 5ml Oral Solution, PL 03105/0059
Superdrug Pholcodine Linctus BP, PL 03105/0059
Strong Pholcodine Linctus BP, PL 03105/0060
Pholcodine Linctus BP, PL 04917/0002
Strong Pholcodine Linctus BP, PL 04917/0005
Pholcodine Linctus, PL 12965/0030
Day & Night Nurse Capsules, PL 44673/0068
Day Nurse Capsules, PL 44673/0069
Day Nurse, PL 44673/0075