Campaign launched to combat cost-of-living related doorstep scams

A nationwide campaign to crack down on cost-of-living doorstep scams has been launched.

The Shut out Scammers campaign, set up by Trading Standards Scotland and Police Scotland, comes as households struggle with rising energy bills and increased living costs.

It specifically targets crimes by rogue traders who are seeking to exploit vulnerable people amid the cost-of-living crisis.

Scams aimed at the mis-selling of energy efficiency measures and other forms of financial harms will be the key focus as it encourages consumers to report the crimes.

It comes as a recent Trading Standards Scotland survey suggested some of the most common cold calls and scams are now related to energy efficiency, with more than one third of respondents being told by a cold caller that they were eligible for new insulation under a Government scheme.

Councillor Maureen Chalmers, chair of Trading Standards Scotland, has urged consumers to be aware of the signs of misleading information when ordering products and services online.

The campaign will also raise awareness of fraudsters offering home maintenance, gardening, or other home services, which become more common during the summer months.

Ms Chalmers said: “It is more important than ever to protect consumers from scammers and rogue traders who are adapting their methods to changing circumstances.

“We urge consumers not to deal with cold callers and seek local traders who have been vetted by Trading Standards and who have made a commitment to treat customers fairly via approved trader schemes.

“Do plenty of research into companies before agreeing to any work being undertaken, remembering that online adverts can be misleading and that reviews can be faked.

“It is advisable to check at least three different review sites and to get more than one quote for a piece of work.

“We are also asking people to look out for family members, friends and neighbours who may be vulnerable and to report any suspicious behaviour to Advice Direct Scotland or Police Scotland.”

Detective Superintendent Andy Patrick said Police Scotland remained “committed to working in partnership to bring doorstep criminals to justice”.

He added: “Crimes of this nature typically target vulnerable members of communities, with those responsible attempting to pass themselves off as legitimate tradespeople in order to gain access to a victim’s property, or to charge large sums of money whilst undertaking little to no work.

“Members of the public who witness potential doorstep crime are asked to contact police immediately, so we can investigate and identify offenders.”