What we do – a focus on Door Step Crime & Scams Trading Standards What we do – a focus on Door Step Crime & Scams

Richard Copley Group Manager - Trading Standards & Licensing

What we do in Trading Standards We enforce Over 50 Acts of Parliament Over 2000 Regulations and Orders We aim to Create a fair, honest and safe trading environment We achieve this by Inspecting, Advising, Sampling, Investigating, Enforcement Action

What we cover Weights and Measures Product Safety Fair Trading Food and Agriculture Civil Advice

Weights and Measures Weighbridges Shop Scales Petrol pumps Packing machines Pubs Length measures

Product Safety CE marking Manufacturers, importers i.e. Lebus and Falcon Petroleum licensing Explosive licensing Underage sales

Fair Trading IP Crime – Counterfeiting Pricing Misleading descriptions Unfair commercial practices Doorstep crime Unroadworthy vehicles

Food and Agriculture Labelling Composition Sampling Animal welfare (farmed animals)

Trading Standards Staff 4 Trading Standards Officers 2 Enforcement Officers 0.4 Animal Health Officer

Doorstep Crime

Different types of doorstep crime Police: Distraction Burglary Fraud Robbery Deception Theft in a Dwelling (Assault/Murder)

Different types of doorstep crime Trading Standards: Misleading actions i.e. false descriptions Misleading omissions i.e. not disclosing important information Aggressive/high pressure selling techniques Misleading prices Failure to give cancellation rights

Door Step Crime Legislation Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPR's) Traders who fail to be professionally diligent, provide false information, omit important information, use aggressive practises Specifically ban 30 trading practises Ignoring a customer’s request to leave or not to return

Professional diligence Purporting to be a professional and not meeting the required standard i.e. a professional drive company will lay the new drive on the correct foundation with correct thickness of tarmac.

False information Claiming work needs doing when it doesn’t, pointing when it is perfectly OK. Claiming a product will do something when it won’t Claiming a job will be one price then inflating it at the end

Omitting information Failing to make customers aware in advance the price of the job

Aggressive practises Using coercion and undue influence (High pressure selling), staying in consumers home for hours until they sign

Banned practise Ignoring a customer’s request to leave or not to return Only applies to personal visits to a consumers home Must have visited previously and told not to return or refused to leave

Doorstep crime legislation Cancellation rights must be given for contracts made in a consumer’s home Criminal offence not to give 14 day cooling off period If not given, civilly contract not enforceable i.e. don’t have to pay trader for work done Fraud – making a false representation, abusing a position of trust

No Cold Calling Zones Not enforceable – no offence Do they work? Show where vulnerable people live Similar call rate in North Lincolnshire compared to NCCZ in other areas of Yorkshire and Humber

Likely perpetrators & victims Itinerant traders – move from town to town no fixed address Professional looking traders – limited companies Organised groups – swap victim details Professional criminals – distraction burglars, conmen Anyone calling at the door

Likely perpetrators & victims Elderly residents - Average victim age is 78 years People living alone - 74% of victims live alone Sheltered housing Vulnerable groups Females - 77% of victims are female People who are at home in the day Repeat victims Anyone

Choosing a victim Offenders often travel to find their victims, where they’re unknown Look for signs the resident is vulnerable. Over grown garden Property in need of repair Mobility aids, i.e. wheel chair ramp, hand rails Sheltered housing OAP bungalows

Measures potential victims can take NEVER open the door to unknown callers Install a door chain and us it Ask for photo identification Check their telephone number in the phone book and NOT rely on the number on their ID Make sure all doors and windows locked at all times NEVER agree to have any work done as a result of a cold call Make appointments for traders to call when a friend or family member is there Get quotes from 2 or 3 traders. Ask friends and relatives to recommend a reputable business Ask for the full name & address from a trader BEFORE considering dealing with them If possible check the address Ask for a written quotation Don’t pay up front Do not keep cash in your home – even if you think its hidden Never pay traders in cash – once they now it’s in the house they will come back Maintain the appearance of the property Trim shrubbery away from windows, doorways and porches Good exterior lighting

Reporting doorstep crime Only 1 in 10 distraction burglaries are reported Problems in reporting crime Victims can’t remember if anything was stolen Victims can’t remember when anything was stolen Embarrassment Fear of their family finding out Fear of the reprisal from offenders Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline: 03454 040506 Humberside Police: 101

Scams National Scams Team - deal with all scams Suckers lists/repeat victims Scam victims referred to NL Trading Standards for target hardening Education Phone blocking

Any Questions?