| Date -04 Apr 2005 | Return to previous page |
Moray Council’s Trading Standards service is warning consumers to be aware of unsolicited phone calls which appear to offer fantastic guaranteed prizes. Trading Standards have received four complaints about the offer.
The phone calls tell consumers that they have won 1 of 4 genuine prizes - either a 42” TV, a weekend in Paris, a car or £7000. To claim their prize consumers are advised to phone a claims hotline.
Investigations have shown, however, that the calls to the phone line are charged at a premium rate and that the most likely prize award will be goods of uncertain value.
As the promotion did not make it clear that phone calls would be charged at premium rates, the premium rate phone line watchdog ICSTIS have been informed.
Ruth Sutherland, Principle Trading Standards Officer commented, “Consumers should be very cautious about believing this type of offer. The “value” of the prizes is often very subjective and the cost of claiming can be high. People should not send money up front to claim prizes and we would urge people to be careful about giving personal details, such as bank details, to people that they do not know”.
Anyone who feels they have been mislead by this type of promotion should contact Consumer Direct Scotland, telephone 08454 04 05 06 for further information.
Contact: Joyce Pirie, Public Relations Co-ordinator on 01343 563046