ROGUE traders in Warwickshire have been taking advantage of recent storms.
Warwickshire Trading Standards has received complaints from residents after they were approached by rogue traders on the doorstep.
The fraudsters are falsely claiming people’s roofs, guttering, fences or trees are damaged and require immediate attention.
They reportedly exaggerate or lie about the problems to encourage them to make a quick and unwise decision – sometimes claiming a tree is about to fall on a neighbour’s property.
The rogue traders also charge high prices for unnecessary or non-existent work.
Trading Standards are advising residents not to employ unexpected doorstep traders, whatever they may claim.
Visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/approvedtraders to find a Trading Standards approved trader.
A new ‘Online Rip-Off Tip-Off’ campaign has been launched to help shoppers spot and avoid misleading online practices that could result in them being fleeced, as new figures reveal seven out of 10 people have been scammed online.
In a survey, shoppers said their biggest concerns were hidden charges, subscription traps, fake reviews and pressure selling.
The campaign aims to make consumers aware of these misleading practices and provide tips on how to avoid them.
Visit www.gov.uk/ripoff-tipoff for more information.
