Trading Standards Intercept Telephone Lists Used By Scammers

National Trading Standards has successfully intercepted a number of telephone lists being used by scammers for criminal intent.

Fraudsters have been using these lists to sell a range of fake goods from health supplements to non-existent insurance policies for white goods or home repair cover plans.

Many of the residents found on these telephone lists were believed to have been targeted multiple times, escalating into other scams as their details were sold on.

Some victims went on to receive debt collection letters to recover payments they had not made. Seemingly elderly and vulnerable consumers were targeted on one of the lists, many of whom were already registered with the Telephone Preference Service.

Staffordshire Trading Standards Team have recently been reaching out to local residents whose details have been found on these telephone lists. Without alarming people, our aim has been to raise awareness of the situation and offering support and assistance to mitigate any potential risks.

Many have taken up our offer of a call blocker device that can stop up to 95% of unwanted and nuisance calls on a home phone. This useful tool can both help protect consumers from telephone scammers whilst also allowing residents to be feel more confident when answering the phone.

To find out more about our call blocker project, go to Call Blockers - Staffordshire County Council.