Trading Standards Handy Help List If You Wonder About Scams

17th January 2025

Stay Scam Aware and please keep sharing any relevant information in this bulletin with friends and family.

In Scotland, report all scams to Advice Direct Scotland by calling 0808 164 6000 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) or online at www.consumeradvice.scot

Fraud
If you have been the victim of fraud, report it to Police Scotland on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

Suspicious Emails
You can forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk and send links from websites which you think are trying to scam the public to the National Cyber Security Centre's scam website reporting service at www.ncsc.gov.uk/section/about-this-website/report-scam-website

Suspicious Text Messages
If you receive a suspicious text message you can forward it to 7726. The free-of-charge ‘7726' service enables your provider to investigate and take action if malicious content is found.

TSS has recently joined social media platform Bluesky - follow us there as well as on Facebook, X, Instagram and Linkedin for information about the latest scams and consumer issues.

General Advice on Avoiding Scams
Advice Direct Scotland: www.consumeradvice.scot/knowledge-centre or call 0808 164 6000
Citizens Advice Scotland: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/consumer
Police Scotland: www.scotland.police.uk/advice-and-information/scams-and-frauds
Financial Conduct Authority: www.fca.org.uk/consumers/protect-yourself-scams
Neighbourhood Watch Scotland Alerts: www.neighbourhoodwatchscotland.co.uk
Which?: www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/scams
Age Scotland: www.ageuk.org.uk/scotland/information-advice/money-matters/scams/
Friends Against Scams: www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk
Your Consumer Rights
Advice Direct Scotland - www.consumeradvice.scot/knowledge-centre or call 0808 164 6000
Citizens Advice Scotland - www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/consumer
Which?: www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights
Information Commissioner's Office: www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
Doorstep Scams
Find traders in Scotland who have been vetted by Trading Standards (supported by SCOTSS and Police Scotland): www.approvedtrader.scot
Trading Standards Scotland website: www.tsscot.co.uk/priority-areas/doorstep-scammers
Phone Scams
Ofcom: www.ofcom.org.uk/how-to-protect-yourself-from-scam-phone-calls-texts
TSS Phone Scams PDF: www.tsscot.co.uk/Phone-Scam-Information.pdf
Product Safety / Counterfeit Goods
OPSS Product Safety Database with details about unsafe and noncompliant products: www.gov.uk/guidance/product-safety-database-unsafe-products
The Anti-Counterfeiting Group: www.a-cg.org
Intellectual Property Office: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/intellectual-property-office
Electrical Safety First (guidance on avoiding counterfeit electrical products): www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guidance/safe-shopping-and-counterfeit-products
Vistalworks (check the legitimacy of products before you buy them through online marketplaces): www.vistalworks.eu
Energy Efficiency Measures
Home Energy Scotland (impartial information about energy efficiency measures): www.homeenergyscotland.org
Trading Standards Scotland website: www.tsscot.co.uk/priority-areas/energy-marketing-scams
Cyber Scams / Cyber Security
Cyber Scotland: www.cyberscotland.com
National Cyber Security Centre: www.ncsc.gov.uk
Lead Scotland (cyber security advice in accessible formats): www.lead.org.uk/alternative-formats-for-cyber-security-messaging
Advice for Businesses
Scottish Business Resilience Centre: www.sbrcentre.co.uk
Business Gateway: www.bgateway.com
Business Companion (free, impartial legal guidance for businesses from CTSI): www.businesscompanion.info
NCSC (advice on SMS and telephone best practice for businesses): www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/business-communications-sms-and-telephone-best-practice
Journal of Trading Standards: www.journaloftradingstandards.co.uk