Suffolk Trading Standards – Doorstep Rogues in Suffolk

The following message is being sent on behalf of Suffolk Trading Standards

We have had a number of reports this week, and we would ask that you make all friends, family and neighbours aware: 

• We’ve had a report of an individual going door-to-door attempting to sell a “spare” mattress in the Sudbury area.

   

• We have had a report that “Nottingham Knockers” were in the Holbrook area. These individuals knock at doors and claim to be ex-convicts attempting to mend their ways, before trying to sell the householder everyday household products at very high prices. These Nottingham Knockers work in groups across the country but they are not involved in any officially recognised offender rehabilitation programme and many do not possess Pedlar’s Certificates, which are issued by police and are necessary for salespeople to be legally allowed to sell door-to-door.

   

   

• The rogue fish sellers are back! We’ve had a report that they were going door to door in Rougham, Bury St Edmunds. These traders travel nationally, cold calling consumers’ homes selling the fish. This is often misdescribed, mislabelled or unlabelled, overpriced and sometimes underweight. They are targeting vulnerable consumers and using high pressure sales techniques. They usually use Transit-style vans which are not refrigerated.

Trading Standards always advise residents to refrain from buying at the doorstep and not to buckle to pressure from salespeople offering supposedly one-off ‘buy it now’ low prices.

Additionally, a Suffolk care provider has been targeted by a fake bailiff.  The fraud involves being cold-called by someone purporting to be a bailiff working on behalf of a court, attempting to recover funds for a non-existent debt. Read more here: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/news/cold-calls-from-bogus-bailiffs-nov17

Please report all scams and rogues to Suffolk Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506.

Police Connect Team