Trading Standards - Health/Sleep Survey Scams

19th January 2026

There have been recent reports of cold callers who imply they are working with the NHS and offer people the opportunity to take part in a 'sleep survey'.

One woman who agreed to take part was visited by a man who seemed friendly and asked some questions about her sleeping habits. However, she then realised that he was in fact a salesperson as he went on to try to sell her specialised beds that would supposedly help with her sleep issues.

He spent over four hours in her home, showing different types of mattress and supports, using pressure-selling tactics to wear her down. In order to get him to leave, she eventually agreed to pay a deposit for a new bed via bank transfer.

Once he had left, she tried to phone the company he said he represented, but could not get through to them.

There have been a lot of similar cases in recent months, where salespeople tell consumers the mobility products they are purchasing are bespoke, although they have not actually taken any measurements.
Several consumers who have tried to cancel orders for products such as mattresses are told the product has been made to their specifications and cannot be cancelled. Although they are told they will receive a custom-made product, when it arrives it is clearly an ‘off-the-shelf' size.

How to Avoid
Don't deal with cold callers who ask you to complete a health survey or offer a home visit from a mobility aids salesperson
If you are unsure whether a call from a healthcare organisation is legitimate, hang up and contact the organisation using a number found on their website or in an official directory

If you have agreed to a home visit from a salesperson, you might want to ask a family member, friend or neighbour to be in the house with you during the appointment to provide a second opinion
Make it clear from the outset that you will not be making a decision on that day and that you will be taking time to think about any purchases

Get quotes from reputable companies before agreeing to any purchases
You can find reputable companies who sell assisted living and mobility aids via www.livingmadeeasy.org.uk or www.bhta.
com/new-member-listing

If you are worried about a relative or friend receiving cold calls, you can sign them up to the Telephone Preference Service for free by calling 034 070 0707 or online at www.tpsonline.org.uk.
Many home phone providers offer services (some of which are free) to block unwanted calls.
There is also a range of standalone devices that can be used to block/ monitor calls such as trueCall Secure call blockers.

Report mobility aids scams to Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000 or or via their ScamWatch tool.

If a cold caller refuses to leave your property, call Police Scotland on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

We have produced two resources on mobility aids scams which can be shared online or printed for those not online:
Mobility Scams Q&A PDF (for families/agencies): www.tsscot.co.uk/Mobility_Aids_Scams_PDF_2024.pdf
ScamShare PDF on Mobility Aids (for individuals): www.tsscot.co.uk/Spotlight-Mobility-Aids.pdf
Find out More
Living Made Easy (impartial advice and information website about daily living equipment, and other aspects of independent living): https://livingmadeeasy.org.uk/
Age Scotland: https://www.agescotland.org.uk/
British Healthcare Trades Association (consumer protection body): www.bhta.com/new-member-listing
Advice on consumer rights: https://consumeradvice.scot/