Scammers target elderly

Vulnerable people are being targeted by high pressure sales calls to buy nutritional supplements and painkilling remedies on the telephone - according to the council.
elderly care - oap - old ageelderly care - oap - old age
elderly care - oap - old age

As part of national Scams Awareness Month, Nottinghamshire County Council’s Trading Standards team has revealed it is supporting a number of vulnerable people who have bought nutritional supplements following sales calls they have taken out of the blue.

They are concerned people are buying goods which may not offer any health or wellbeing benefits.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

There is further advice to check with a pharmacist or doctor before buying or using such supplements or painkilling remedies to check there is not a clash with an individual’s prescription medicines which will not have a detrimental effect on their health and wellbeing.

Recent cases have included -

• One resident who agreed to buy 30 tubes of ‘pain relieving’ cream for joints which could be bought over the counter for a fraction of the £31 per tube he was charged.

• Someone who was sold a huge amount of different products including 20 packets of pomegranate supplements for £500.

• Another person who was sold some skin cream and was not advised it could not be used on broken skin, so when it arrived it was unsuitable and had to be returned.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Councillor Alice Grice, committee vice-chairman for community safety said: “We are concerned about people being targeted by high pressure sales calls from companies selling a variety of nutritional supplements and other medical products.

People who take the calls are told on the phone these products are crucial for their health and wellbeing and unwittingly pay over the odds for these goods. Many of these products then do not display clearly on them instructions for use or what the health benefits of them are meant to be.”

Scams Awareness Month 2016 will take place in July across the UK which is being spearheaded by Citizen’s Advice and supported by other organisations including Trading Standards teams in England and Wales.

If you have concerns, consumers can contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506.