Nuisance and Bogus Callers

Glasgow City Council’s Trading Standards Service is involved in various initiatives aimed at tackling doorstep crime, scam mail and unwanted telephone calls in all their various forms.

Trading Standards work with the various partner agencies involved in providing assistance to the most vulnerable citizens such as Police Scotland, HMRC, Social Work, High Street Banks and charity organisations.

Every year hundreds of Glasgow consumers are conned into handing over thousands of pounds to rogue traders who have either cold called them on the doorstep or by telephone. These traders are known to carry out work which is unnecessary, badly done and overpriced.

Their victims, particularly those most vulnerable to such scams, have been repeatedly targeted and in many cases have lost tens of thousands of pounds.

To help combat the problem, Trading Standards provides advice and guidance to various charity groups to raise awareness of these scams and offers assistance where needed.

Information and awareness days have been held in various Glasgow shopping centres in order to highlight the issues to the general public and encourage reporting of suspicious activity in their community.

Trading Standards, in partnership with Police Scotland, continue to carry out a successful initiative of routine patrols within areas most affected by Bogus Callers to deter and limit their activity within the Glasgow area.

Residents who think they may have been the victim of a scam should contact the council’s Trading Standards team who can provide appropriate advice and also supply deterrents such as ‘No Cold Calling’ stickers for windows and doors.

It can also supply Call Blocking units to prevent nuisance telephone calls and can help individuals register with the Call Preference and Mail Preference Services to stop them receiving endless junk mail.

How to get in touch – ts.enquiries@glasgow.gov.uk or 0141-287-1061