Illegal cigarettes seized: This week we joined colleagues from across the County for a multi-agency event in Lowestoft. We carried out inspections on four premises for the presence of illegal tobacco and illegal vapes. Officers seized 1,140 illegal cigarettes at one retailer. All the items are suspected to be illegally imported into the UK without duty being paid and do not comply with the legal packaging and labelling requirements. Several of them are also suspected to be counterfeits of popular brands. The seized products will now be fully assessed as part of the investigation to determine the exact offences that have been committed. You can report the sale of illegal tobacco to us via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133. Consumers can protect themselves from inadvertently buying illegal tobacco by looking out for the following:
A lack of health warnings on the packet
Unknown brands
Prices that look too good to be true
Packaging that isn’t plain olive green or contains text that is not in English
Find out more about the East Suffolk Council engagement and enforcement event here: www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/news/council-police-and-fire-impact-day-in-lowestoft
Door-to-door callers: We have received reports of individuals going door to door in and around Stowmarket this week, offering to carry out work on driveways. Our advice is to never deal with traders on your doorstep. Do your research before agreeing to have any work carried out. Don't be fooled by sign printed vans, glossy leaflets and a website. While it might be tempting to agree to low prices being offered on the doorstep, think twice. Our advice is:
- never agree to have any work done as a result of a cold call, and don't be pressurised into having the job done immediately
- if you think work needs doing to your home, get quotes from 2 or 3 traders. Ask friends and family for recommendations of traders who have carried out work for them. You can also check Suffolk Trusted Trader for traders that have been vetted by us: https://trustedtrader.team/Suffolk/
- ask for the full name and address from a trader before considering dealing with them, and never rely solely on a mobile phone number
- ask for a written quotation detailing all the proposed work and a final price for the job BEFORE the work is started
- only pay once the work is completed to your satisfaction, don't pay up front for materials, don't pay cash
If you have any information, or if you have been approached by doorstep callers, please contact us via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.
Strong passwords: Creating strong passwords is one of the most important steps you can take to protect yourself online. By setting up strong passwords, using separate passwords for different accounts and storing them safely, you’ll make it much harder for a hacker to guess or attempt to crack your password to gain access to your online accounts and services. If a hacker gets into your email, they could reset the passwords for your other accounts using the ‘forgot password’ feature, so setting up a strong password for your email is a good place to start.
- Set strong passwords using three random words, the longer the better. A strong password is especially important for your primary email account as you will likely use it as a ‘username’ for lots of online services.
- Use strong separate passwords for all of your user accounts and services. Using the same password for all services could leave all your user accounts open to criminals if just one account was compromised.
- Find it hard to remember your passwords? Use password manager apps or save them in your web browser so you don’t forget.
- Use Two Factor Authentication (2FA) where possible - this is a way of ‘doubling up’ on security by verifying it is you logging into your account.
Illegal skin lightening products: People use skin lightening products for complex social and personal reasons. Many of these products are illegal in the UK and have been found to contain harmful substances. Illegal skin creams have not been safety tested. There are no guarantees that they were made in sanitary conditions, and no assurances that they are safe to use. Illegal skin lightening creams can cause conditions like acne and eczema. They can also result in permanent disfigurement and serious long-term health problems.
Know what you’re buying -
Some skin-lightening creams are legal, but many are banned because of their harmful ingredients. These dangerous banned ingredients include hydroquinone, mercury and licensed medicines like corticosteroids. Creams containing these substances are illegal in the UK and Europe for safety reasons. Skin-lightening creams illegally being sold in the UK have been found to contain twice the amount of active steroid ingredients that are allowed in prescription products. Just because something is for sale, it doesn’t mean it is safe.
Never use skin lightening products without first discussing with your dermatologist or doctor. They will advise a safe course of action that is right for you.
Never use illegal skin lightening products purchased from shops or over the internet.
Never use skin lightening products on children.
For more information, visit: www.tradingstandards.uk/cosmetics
Coeliac disease: 1 in 100 people in the UK have coeliac disease, but only 36% are diagnosed. That leaves a staggering 500,000 people suffering with unexplained symptoms. Coeliac disease is different for everyone – not only in the wide range of symptoms that can be experienced, but in the strain caused by living with unexplained health problems. Not knowing what’s wrong can have a significant effect on mental and physical health. So, for the whole month of May Coeliac UK are spreading the word about coeliac disease and the emotional journey of diagnosis. As part of the campaign, they are on a mission to find the missing 500,000 and get them on the road to recovery. They are doing that by encouraging people to take their online self-assessment. Find out more here: https://isitcoeliacdisease.org.uk/
Product recall: Poundland is recalling various PEPCO colouring pencils in tubes due to a serious chemical risk. The products present a serious chemical risk as they were found to contain phthalates at levels that exceed the legal limit. Phthalates may harm the health of children, possibly causing damage to the reproductive system.
Poundland Product Code: 757270, 758008, 831809, 857408, 889739, 855168, 855169, 855170
Barcodes: 2200434466467, 2200134746760, 2200134991665, 2200135199763, 2200159633267, 2200159915066, 2200159915264, 2200159915363
If you have bought the above product, do not use it. Instead return it to a Poundland Store for a full refund.