Trading Standards - Recognise Misleading and Aggressive Sales Practices

11th October 2025

According to a recent survey we carried out, almost half of Scots (46%) have experienced an aggressive or misleading sales transaction, with 33% believing they have been misled into completing a sales transaction.

Do you know how to recognise misleading or aggressive sales practices and what to do if you experience them?.

Examples of Misleading Sales Practices
A trader providing misleading or wrong information about a product or service to get you to make a purchase or sign a contract.

A salesperson giving the wrong information about what product would be best for you or your property.

A trader saying they can offer special price on a product or service, when it was never on sale at the full price.

A trader wrongly saying that you need to purchase extra products or services to get the most out of the original product/service.

A trader you have hired to carry out one job wrongly tells you they have found other urgent work that needs to be carried out.

A trader providing misleading information about what the product can do compared to other products.

A trader failing to disclose important information about the product or service.

Examples of Aggressive Sales Practices
A trader refusing to leave your home when asked until you agree to purchase a product/service, or asking you to sign a waiver to allow them to stay in your home longer than anticipated.

A salesperson trying to scare you by saying your health or the safety or your property may be at risk if you don't purchase the product they are offering.

A salesperson repeatedly contacting you and hassling you to try and convince you to buy something.

A trader trying to guilt you into purchasing something, for example by saying their job will be at risk if you don't.

What to do if you have experienced these practices
If you believe that a trader has misled you or used aggressive tactics to pressure you into purchasing a product or signing a contract, you may be entitled to receive a refund or to cancel the contract. If the purchase was made over 90 days ago, you may be entitled to receive a discount.

If you are unsure about your consumer rights or if you want to check whether you may be entitled to a refund/discount, or what to do next, contact Advice Direct Scotland. Their free consumer service is available from 9am-5pm Monday-Friday by calling 0808 164 6000. You can also report traders to Trading Standards by calling this number or by visiting https://scamwatch.scot

You can also contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau for information and advice about your rights: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/about-us/contact-us/

Find out more about your rights
Advice Direct Scotland Knowledge Centre: https://consumeradvice.scot/knowledge-centre/
Citizens Advice Scotland: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/consumer/changed-your-mind/if-you-were-misled-or-pressured-into-buying-something-you-didnt-want/

The Scam
43% of respondents to this year's Big Scottish Scam Survey had experienced a delivery scam.

Scammers typically direct people to malicious websites by sending scam text messages and emails claiming that you need to rearrange a missed delivery.

One woman recently received a text message that appeared to be from Boots, saying her order had left the warehouse and would be delivered within two days. She then received several messages supposedly from Royal Mail saying: "Your BOOTS parcel is due today between 11:20am - 4.55pm. View delivery options at this link...'

The following day, more messages appeared, with some saying that Royal Mail had attempted to deliver her Boots package and others saying the parcel had already been delivered. They included links to click to 'track' the order or rearrange a delivery.

She had never ordered anything online from Boots and didn't receive a delivery.

Another man got a text message saying that a parcel had been damaged in transit and asking him to pay £2 to arrange for delivery of a new item that day.
He was expecting a delivery and needed the item urgently, so clicked the link and paid the money.

However, their genuine parcel arrived a couple of minutes after he had made the payment and he realised the message had been a scam. He contacted his bank and was able to stop any fraudulent payments being made from his card.

How to Avoid
Legitimate parcel delivery services will not contact you unexpectedly to ask for personal or payment details.

If you receive an unexpected message about a parcel delivery, don't click on any links or follow any instructions to download an app to your phone.

If you are expecting a parcel, track the delivery on the company's official website or app rather than using links or contact details provided in an unexpected message.

Find out More
ScamShare Spotlight PDF on delivery scams: www.tsscot.co.uk/Spotlight-Delivery.pdf

Storm Damage: Find Trusted Traders & Report Issues

Following Storm Amy there is likely to be an increase in roofing and property maintenance scams, with cold callers knocking on doors and offering to repair damage on the spot, providing high quotes for repair work.

If your property needs repair or maintenance work carried out, make sure you find the right trader:
Find Trusted Traders

If you’re thinking of having work done to your property, make sure you find the right trader:
TrustMark is the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme - businesses registered with them have been vetted to meet required standards and have made a commitment to good customer service:
www.trustmark.org.uk/find-a-tradesman

Businesses that are part of the CTSI’s Approved Code scheme have been vetted and have a commitment to consumer protection and raising standards:
www.tradingstandards.uk/consumer-help/find-an-approved-code-business

Find members of trade associations such as the Federation of Master Builders via the Trade Association Forum:
www.taforum.org/membership/member-directory

Competent person schemes are a way for tradespeople to prove their ability to carry out certain work to required standards, instead of you applying for building regulations approval. Schemes have insurance-backed warranties and complaints procedures if there’s a problem with the work:
www.competentperson.co.uk

All of the businesses listed on the Buy With Confidence website have been fully checked and vetted by a local authority Trading Standards service:
www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk

Find traders who have been approved by local council trading standards via Scotland's Approved Trader Directory:
www.approvedtrader.scot

Find certified installers of renewables systems in Scotland via the Renewables Installer Finder:
installerfinder.energysavingtrust.org.uk

Find members of the Renewable Energy Consumer Code, who have agreed to abide by the Consumer Code. This covers all the factors that contribute to a high standard of consumer service, before, during and after a contract is agreed:
www.recc.org.uk/scheme/members

The Microgeneration Certification Scheme certifies, quality assures and provides consumer protection for microgeneration installations and installers. These consist of small scale renewable electricity technologies such as solar PV, biomass, wind, heat pumps and heat products:
https://mcscertified.com

How to Avoid Scams
Before having any work done in or around your property, get quotes from as many trusted companies as possible.

Any unsolicited trader who offers to carry out work on your property must give you their business name and address.
Don't agree to let a cold caller start work straight away - do plenty of research into their company and, if something doesn’t look right, don’t deal with them.

Reporting Issues
If you believe that a trader has used misleading, aggressive or banned practices, you may be entitled to receive a refund or to cancel the contract. If the purchase was made over 90 days ago, you may be entitled to receive a discount.

If you want to report a trader/company to trading standards, if you are unsure about your consumer rights or if you want to check whether you may be entitled to a refund/discount, or what to do next, contact Advice Direct Scotland. Their free consumer service is available from 9am-5pm Monday-Friday by calling 0808 164 6000. You can also report traders to Trading Standards by visiting https://scamwatch.scot

Report any suspicious behaviour to Police Scotland on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

Find out more
Police Scotland: www.scotland.police.uk/doorstep-crime-and-bogus-callers
Trading Standards Scotland: www.tsscot.co.uk/priority-areas/doorstep-scammers

Challenge Poverty Week

This is Challenge Poverty Week, an annual awareness-raising campaign led by Poverty Alliance Scotland.
Over the last few years, rising costs have led to a rise in illegal money lending and people in financial difficulties may feel that they have no option but to turn to a loan shark.

Research commissioned by the Scottish Illegal Money Lending Unit (SIMLU) last year found that 7% of respondents had encountered a loan shark either in their community or online. Across the wider population, this equates to around 300,000 people.

Illegal lenders are increasingly operating online, offering quick and easy loans via social media and WhatsApp. These loans can seem attractive to those in crisis situations; however, the lenders are not usually authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and often charge huge interest rates. They don’t always provide paperwork or clear terms of the loan, which allows them to exploit people and trap them in a seemingly never-ending spiral of debt.

If you are struggling with debt or if you have already borrowed money from a loan shark and are feeling trapped, out of control or isolated, please reach out and talk to one of the many organisations who can help you.

You may feel that you have nowhere to turn, but help is available - you are not alone.

The free and confidential 24-hour loan shark helpline is open 7 days a week. Call 0800 074 0878 or ask our new chatbot Finlay for advice at stopillegallending.co.uk

Find Support
Joining a credit union has many benefits - they help you save money, offer loans at competitive rates, provide advice on budgeting and are community-focused. Find your local credit union:
www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk

Find out if there are any benefits you are entitled to but are not yet receiving: www.moneyadvicescotland.org.uk/benefits-calculator

Citizens Advice Scotland’s Money Map can help you find support to increase your income and reduce bills: https://moneymap.scot

Find more organisations that can support you with debt advice: stopillegallending.co.uk/how-we-can-help

Neighbourhood Watch Scotland Alert Platform

Trading Standards Scotland is now an official Information Provider on the Neighbourhood Watch Scotland (NWS) Neighbourhood Alert platform.

This means that we can send important updates directly to Alert Users including our ScamShare bulletin, consumer protection advice, and alerts about emerging scams.