Trading standards offers free advice pack on ‘spam’

As part of National Consumer Week, which begins today, the Trading Standards Service is offering the public an information pack containing advice on how best to deal with unsolicited mail and telephone calls which tell them they have won a prize.

Every day people open their post to be told they have won a competition or been awarded a prize while telephone calls, faxes and e-mails are also used to tell someone they have won money or a free gift.

To help consumers, the Trading Standards Service has put together a pack containing an advice leaflet. THe pack also contains an ‘Is it too good to be true’ checklist, copies of a letter asking the sender to remove the consumer’s name from their mailing lists and a form to register with the Mailing Preference Service.

Kevin McNamara, of Trading Standards, said: “If you are asked to send money to claim the prize, chances are you have not won the amount of money highlighted. In reality, when you read the literature fully you are actually only being given the opportunity to enter a draw to win an unspecified amount. Or you may be asked to call a premium rate phone number or make a small purchase in order to claim your prize.

“If this is the case with any of the offers you receive you should ask yourself the following questions: What am I being asked to pay for? Can I afford to lose that money? Does it all look too good to be true?."

While there is no law against sending this sort of unsolicited mail, Trading Standards said it can help consumers when this type of situation arises.

You can write to the senders asking them to take you off their mailing lists or you can register with the number of different preference services that exist, such as the Mailing Preference Service which should reduce the number of unwanted mailshots and telephone calls you receive.

Advice and packs can be obtained by contacting Consumerline on 0845 600 6262.

(MB/GMCG)