“Council” callers: Report received of a Hadleigh resident being approached by two men in hi-vis on Thursday 14th July. The men claimed to work for "the council" and were there to clear the gutters. After carrying out the work on the property, they attempted to charge the resident and told them that tiles needed replacing too. Thankfully the resident refused to pay and sent them on their way. Were you approached? Did you see any vehicle they were travelling in? Call us via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.
Illegal gas work: Around 1.1 million gas jobs are carried out annually by illegal fitters who aren’t properly qualified to complete the work. Not only does this result in mistakes that can be costly to fix, but it could also end up being incredibly dangerous to use someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing. The most important thing when you’re looking to find a gas engineer, is to make sure they’re on the Gas Safe Register. Even if you’re taking a recommendation from friends and family, this is still essential. If they’re not on there, they’re not qualified to work on any gas appliance in your home. The consequences of relying on an unregistered engineer can be deadly.
To keep you and your family safe, follow Gas Safe Register’s top tips:
Only employ a legal Gas Safe registered engineer when having gas work carried out in your home. You can find a registered engineer in your area by calling Gas Safe Register on 0800 408 5500 or by visiting https://gassaferegister.co.uk/
Every registered gas engineer carries a Gas Safe ID card. Always ask to see the card and check their unique licence number with Gas Safe Register. The back of the card will also show which gas appliances they are qualified to work on.
If you smell gas or think there might be a gas leak, call the free 24-hour national gas emergency number immediately on 0800 111 999.
If you suspect that someone is an illegal fitter or are worried about gas work carried out in your home, please contact Gas Safe Register.
Electrical safety surveys: Have you received a call offering a free electrical safety survey? One Suffolk resident recently took up the offer but soon found the incentive was too good to be true! After the trader visited and carried out their checks, they claimed the householder needed a new fuse box, which they could supply, for £700.
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 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 these callers, please contact us via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.
Fake sellers: In the rush to bag a bargain, it’s easy to forget that fake sellers, goods and offers are commonplace on social media and auction sites. Make sure you Take Five and research online sellers and websites to check they’re authentic. Criminals often use images taken from genuine sellers to convince you they’re the real deal. If you’re asked to pay by bank transfer, this should be a red flag. Only use the secure payment method recommended by online retailers and auction sites to make your purchase. Remember: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Payment Diversion Fraud: Payment Diversion Fraud (PDF), also known as Business Email Compromise (BEC) or Mandate Fraud, affects businesses and customers where electronic financial transactions are taking place. Criminals will contact businesses or customers via email, usually claiming to be from a company that the business or customer has been dealing with. They will request a payment to be made often or inform the recipient of a change of bank account details. Criminals will often create fake e-mail addresses which are very similar to genuine business or customer addressees and send over fake invoices to make it more believable. All of this leads to payments from businesses and customers directly into bank accounts controlled by the criminals. Criminals are experts at impersonating people and will spend hours researching you for their scams. Stop, think and follow the Take Five to Stop Fraud advice as it could protect you and your money.
STOP: If you receive a request to make an urgent payment, change supplier bank details or provide financial information, take a moment to stop and think.
CHALLENGE: Could it be fake? Verify all payments and supplier details directly with the company on a known phone number or in person first.
PROTECT: Contact your business’ bank immediately if you think you’ve been scammed and report it to Action Fraud.
Recalls: Encore is recalling Beef Selection in Gravy multipack dog food because the Beef Steak with Potatoes in Gravy tin, within the multipack, may contain small pieces of metal.
Encore Beef Selection in Gravy (Multipack)
Pack size: 5 tins x 156g
Batch code: LU1-343
Best before: 09 December 2024
Encore Beef Selection in Gravy (Multipack)
Pack size: 5 tins x 156g
Batch code: LU1-302
Best before: 29 October 2024
Encore Beef Steak with Potatoes in Gravy (Individual tin)
Pack size: 156g
Batch code: LU1343D
Best before: December 2024
We urge customers who have bought this product not to feed it to their dog and return it to the store with or without a receipt from where it was bought for a full refund.