Southend-on-Sea Trading Standards

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Southend-on-Sea Trading Standards

For all consumer and complaints, enquiries and advice, please call the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.

02/11/2026

🚨 Report Fraud alert: Over £86,000 stolen by fraudsters posing as Amazon in just nine days.
⚠️ Criminals are impersonating Amazon and contacting customers out of the blue claiming suspicious activity has occurred on their account.

Over a nine day period, between 5-14 October 2026, criminals stole £86,837 from victims, a daily average of over £9,600 while purporting to be representatives from Amazon.

An alert has today been issued (30 October) by Report Fraud, the national cyber crime and fraud reporting service, urging the public about an emerging trend of Amazon impersonation after it was identified in reports made to the service.

Within the nine day period, Report Fraud received 110 reports where Amazon impersonation had been identified, with people aged between 50 to 79 most impacted, accounting for 60 per cent of reports.

Analysis of Report Fraud data identified an emerging trend in reporting which involves a victim being contacted by the criminal claiming to be from Amazon who informs them of alleged suspicious activity on their Amazon account.

The criminals then claim that unauthorised items have been added to the victim’s Amazon basket. To make the fraud appear genuine, they provide delivery addresses that do not belong to the victim and claim that someone is attempting to purchase the items using the victim’s bank details.

The criminal then tells the victim that the transactions can be stopped and their account secured, but only if they follow specific instructions including:

▪️ Victims asked to share their screen through messaging platforms as part of a resolution process and download money transfer apps. Criminals then use these apps to move money into accounts they control.
▪️ Victims told to provide legitimate documents, such as a passport or driving licence, for "verification" purposes. Criminals use this information to facilitate the fraud and transfer money.
▪️ Victims persuaded to download remote access software, allowing criminals to take control of the device and carry out transactions on the victim's behalf to steal funds without their knowledge.
▪️ Victims are told that gift cards have been added to their Amazon basket without permission. Criminals then claim urgent action is needed to stop the purchases and trick victims into authorising payments, which are instead sent to accounts under the criminals' control.

How to protect yourself
Remember that genuine service providers, banks and the police will never call asking you to transfer money, share personal financial details or hand over remote control of your computer, phone or other device.

🚨 If you’ve received a call that doesn’t feel right, STOP!

▪️ Hang up.
▪️ Check if it’s genuine: contact the organisation directly using contact details you know are correct, such as those on an official website or app, or by calling 159 if you need to contact your bank.
▪️ Don’t trust the Caller ID display on your phone – it’s not proof of ID.
▪️ Report it by sending a text to 7726 with the word ‘Call’ followed by the scam caller’s number.
▪️ If you believe you are a victim of fraud, you should tell Report Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040.

02/11/2026

⚠️ Looks can be deceiving.
Fake beauty products can look incredibly convincing, but they may contain harmful substances and pose serious health risks.

We're supporting the IPO Counter-Infringement ’s campaign to help consumers understand the risks and shop more safely.

💄 You can't always tell what's inside from the outside. Check who you're buying from and choose trusted sources.

02/11/2026

We hope you had a spooktacular Halloween! But, now it's over, please remember that pumpkins can only be fed to livestock if they have NEVER entered a kitchen and the carving utensils have never been in contact with products of animal origin such as meat and dairy. This is to help prevent diseases like African Swine Fever.

The term 'livestock' includes livestock species kept as pets such as pigs, sheep and cattle.

The ban on feeding kitchen waste to livestock was introduced after the devastation of foot and mouth disease - the most likely cause of the 2001 outbreak was catering waste being fed to Pigs.

You CAN feed:
✅ Fruit and vegetables that have never entered a kitchen and which have not come into contact with products of animal origin. The utensils used for cutting up the fruit and vegetables must also never have come into contact with products of animal origin.
✅ Specially formulated animal feed, which is a safe and easy way to give your animals a balanced diet.

It is ILLEGAL to feed:
❌ Food scraps and catering waste from any restaurant or commercial kitchen.
❌ Domestic kitchen waste, including food from a vegetarian or vegan kitchen.

Following these practices is vital to prevent the spread of notifiable animal diseases such as African swine fever.

02/11/2026

PepsiCo is recalling Walkers Variety Snacks Sharing Box because the Monster Munch Giants Roast Beef 85g pack contains wheat (gluten) which is not declared on the outer packaging of the sharing box.

Walkers Variety Snacks Sharing Box
Pack size: 655g box (6 packs)
Batch code: 107543
Best before: 21 November 2026, 16 January 2027

If you have bought the above product and have an allergy or intolerance to wheat or gluten or have coeliac disease, do not eat it. Instead, please call the PepsiCo Consumer Care Line on 0800274777 to receive a full refund.

30/10/2026

It's illegal to sell any v**e or ni****ne product to under-18s anywhere in the UK 🚫

This will help protect children and young people from ni****ne addiction, as part of the To***co and Vapes Act.

Here's what's changed:

✅ The under-18s sales ban now covers all v**es and ni****ne products, including pouches, strips, pearls and ni****ne-free v**es

✅ Adults who buy, or try to buy these products for anyone under 18 are committing an offence

✅ No more giveaways or substantial discounts

✅ No more vending-machine sales of v**es or ni****ne products

✅ Rogue retailers can be hit with fixed penalty notices for a range of offences

The health advice still stands though: va**ng is less harmful than smoking and can help adult smokers quit, but it isn't risk-free.

If you don't smoke, don't v**e. Children should never v**e.

30/10/2026

Your firework display might only last a short time, but giving your neighbours advance notice can make a real difference.

Some people find unexpected fireworks genuinely distressing. Others may simply want time to prepare themselves, their children or their animals.

29/10/2026

Using fireworks safely means thinking about more than just the people watching your display.

Read the instructions, follow the required safety distance and make sure everyone involved knows what to do.

But safety doesn’t stop at your garden.

Think about how your choices affect the people, animals and spaces around you too.

28/10/2026

Your fireworks might be in your garden, but their impact can reach much further.

The choices you make before, during and after your display can affect the people, animals and communities around you.

This firework season, think beyond your garden and know your impact. Follow for more.

28/10/2026

New Report Fraud data reveals that, between January and August 2026, criminals stole £24.3 million through fake investment schemes where artificial intelligence (AI), including deepfakes, was used to make a fraudulent offer more believable.

During this period, Report Fraud received more than 1,300 reports of AI enabled investment fraud, with people aged 60 or over accounting for nearly 80 per cent (1,033) of reports.

As Report Fraud relies on information provided by victims, each report of this type was reviewed to verify whether AI, including deepfake technology, was used to assist with the offence.

Reporting insights from this new data indicate that victims were persuaded to provide their personal details after clicking on the fake endorsement, before being contacted by criminals posing as investment advisers or account managers.

After making an initial payment, victims are shown supposed profits through a professional-looking trading platform and then convinced to invest larger sums. When victims try to withdraw their money, fraudsters often claim further payments are needed in fees or charges, leading to even more money being stolen.

Fraud criminals will always try to make an investment opportunity look as legitimate as possible, often claiming the scheme is linked to emerging technologies, government-backed initiatives, or exclusive opportunities.

How can you prevent yourself from becoming a victim?

Investment opportunities: Don’t be rushed into making an investment. Remember, legitimate organisations will never pressure you into investing on the spot.
FCA Firm Checker: Use the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Firm Checker to check if the company is authorised by the FCA. If you deal with a firm (or individual) that isn’t authorised, you may not be covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) if things go wrong and you lose your money.
Seek advice first: Before making significant financial decisions, speak with trusted friends or family members, or seek professional independent advice.

If you believe you are a victim of fraud, you should tell Report Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040.

28/10/2026

🚨 Make yourself a harder target for criminals.
ℹ️ Avoid sharing personal details that fraudsters could use to perpetrate fraud against you, such as your birthday, where you live, or pet names.

Address

Civic Centre
Southend-on-Sea
SS26ER

Telephone

+448082231133

Website

https://www.southend.gov.uk/info/200201/licences_permissions_and_trading_standards/133/trading_standards

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