Scams include demands for payment for sponsoring and advertising in 'good cause' booklets, such as a cancer awareness booklet and an anti bullying booklet to be sent to schools. Also scams involving registration under the Data Protection Act and another involving website fees.
Several local businesses have contacted Gloucestershire County Council Trading Standards Service for advice.
The sponsorship and advertising scam typically involves a trader being cold called to be offered space. It will normally be linked to a good cause. The business will then receive an invoice. The publication may never appear or will be of poor quality and will not have the support of local schools or other agencies.
Trading standards advice is not agree to sponsor or place adverts in a publication unless you are fully satisfied the nature of the publication, the proposed distribution, which local agencies are supporting the publication, how much of the proceeds are to be given to the good cause, and when it will be published.
The data protection scam arrives as a letter stating businesses must register to continue to process personal data. The letter appears official and some complainants have reported concerns that it looks if it is a demand for payment. Trading standards advise that any business processing personal data is required by law to notify the Information Commissioner, but they can do so directly and the fee is only £35, on which no VAT is payable. You do not need to pay an agency to register on your behalf.
The website fees scam came to light when a local business reported receiving a telephone call demanding payment of a fee to prevent other businesses using her website name and business details on their websites The caller claimed to be from Trading Standards. Trading Standards do not control websites or use of information on a website and would not demand payment by telephone for such services.