21/03/2013 Beware Negative Option
Marketing
Adverts are
appearing on social media websites promoting ‘free’ product trials for goods
including beauty products and slimming pills.
Consumers are
encouraged to take part and provide their credit or debit card details to pay
for postage and packing.
But, hidden
in the small print is a monthly subscription agreement that could cost them
over £1000 a year if they don’t return the items quickly and cancel.
However, the
unscrupulous foreign based businesses behind these offers make it incredibly
difficult for consumers to cancel in time and quickly begin taking money from
their credit or debit cards.
Advice to consumers:
• Never
provide your credit or debit card to any business you don’t know or trust.
• Beware of any ‘free trial’ offers.
• Always read the small print.
• Search
for the business on-line. If they are dodgy, someone on the Internet is likely
to have already posted a warning.
• If
you are a victim, contact your bank as soon as possible to cancel the recurring
payments. You have a legal right to have these payments cancelled. Even if the
business refuses, your bank must cancel them for you.
21/03/2013 Bogus Pop-Up Offer
A
Warwickshire consumer reported to Trading Standards seeing a pop-up appear on his
screen after visiting a well-known on-line retailer. The pop-up asked for the
consumer’s credit card details in order to receive 10% off his next purchase.
Trading
Standards
warn that it is unlikely that these unusual pop-ups are genuine. More
likely, they are an indication that the computer has been infected with a
virus. Never input credit or debit card details in to a pop-up. If you
do need to use your credit card or debit card on-line, ensure you trust
the website
and can see that it is secure (look for the padlock sign in the web
browser).
13/03/2013 ‘Free’ Security Survey
A Warwickshire consumer reported to Trading Standards receiving an unexpected withheld number call from someone offering a free survey which the consumer believed was associated with security and alarms.
Consumers are advised to be very wary about offers of free security surveys, a tactic often employed by high pressure salespeople to sell expensive and unsuitable alarm systems.
Consumers are often offered free alarm systems which then come with expensive monitoring contracts costing thousands of pounds!
For more information visit: http://tinyurl.com/c8lfner
Please feel free to cascade this information to whomever you feel appropriate (including using the information in your newsletters/websites etc.).
If you have any information you wish to provide to Warwickshire Trading Standards Service, either for our information, or to appear in future email alerts, please email me.
For more information on scams, visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams
For more information on scams, visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams
Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/warkstss
Simon Cripwell
Trading Standards Officer
Warwickshire Trading Standards Service
Communities
Warwickshire County Council
Old Budbrooke Road Warwick CV35 7DP
Tel: 01926 414039
Mob: 07771 975570
Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/warkstss
My normal working days are Monday to Thursday
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