This week is the second ‘National Stop Loan Sharks’ week.

Loan sharking is a criminal offence. Illegal money lenders operate without a licence, often targeting vulnerable people and charge huge rates of interest on small loans. 

Points to note:

• Most loan sharks start out friendly, but their behaviour changes when payments are missed. 
• Few loan sharks advertise, and are often heard of by word of mouth.
• Most loan sharks offer little or no paperwork.
• Many loan sharks will refuse to tell you how much you owe, how long you will be paying or what the interest rate is.
• Many loan sharks will increase the debt and add additional amounts.
• Many loan sharks take items as security including passports, bank cards or benefit cards.
• Many loan sharks resort to intimidation, threats and violence if payments are missed.

REMEMBER if you have borrowed from a loan shark you have not committed a crime, they have.

Nationally, 20% of past victims said they had borrowed money originally to pay for festivities. Illegal money lenders are not the answer. Instead seek advice from the local CAB or look to a local Credit Union who provides legal loans at reasonable interest rates to see if they can help.

For more information about credit unions in Coventry call: 024 7663 3911 or email: info@cwcda.co.uk.

For more information on how to report a loan shark or illegal money lending please visit www.gov.uk/report-loan-shark. 

You can call the 24/7 confidential hotline on 0300 555 2222 or e-mail: reportaloanshark@stoploansharks.gov.uk

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Coventry Trading Standards is warning residents to take care when buying goods online to avoid being scammed, especially when the goods on offer seem cheap.

The warning comes after a complaint from a Stoke resident who ordered a television online at a very competitive price, but so far, the goods have not arrived. Later online research done by the resident has shown that they are not the only one to be left in this position by the website, and all indicates it towards being a scam and not necessarily UK based.

Christmas is a prime time for impressive online shops to appear, claiming to be UK based and selling products directly to consumers at hugely discounted prices. Often these are run by scammers based outside the UK. Goods supplied can be counterfeit and shoddy imitations of the genuine product. The other scenario, as in this instance, is that money is taken and no goods are supplied.

Some top tips to look out for before you buy your Christmas presents online:

• Research the website you are considering using - look at online forums for any adverse information. Fraudsters can push a fake website high up on a web search list
• Just because the website address ends in .co.uk does not mean it is based in the UK.
• Check the website is secure - look for a padlock at the bottom right of the browser window
• Be wary if asked to send a payment by any money transfer system.
• Use a credit card as you have the added protection of making a claim against your credit card company for non-delivery of goods or fraud.
• Be suspicious of deeply discounted prices. If it sounds too good to be true...then it probably is!

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Trading Standards have received information of an alleged charity clothing collection in the Earlsdon area where the ‘charity’ named is not registered in the UK but overseas. The limited company shown on the collection bag is also registered outside the UK.

There are many commercial companies who claim to collect clothes for distribution amongst charitable organisations when they are in fact sold for profit. Typical messages may vary from ‘your donation will go to poor families in Eastern Europe’ or ‘proceeds will go to help the needy’. In reality however the commercial nature of the venture is the same - to make profit.

Our advice is for people to take unwanted items directly to the charity shops if they want to give to charitable organisations.

Guidelines that can help you determine the genuine collections from the shams can be found at Safer Giving

If you have any queries or doubts about the legitimacy or organisations you can search the Register of Charities 

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Dr. Oetker is recalling Dr. Oetker Regal Ice Ready Rolled Icing White because it contains undeclared nuts (almonds) which is not mentioned on the label.

Pack size: 450g
Best Before date: 8 August 2017
Batch codes: 16221
Risk: This product contains nuts (almonds), making it a possible health risk for anyone with a nuts allergy.
Advice: If you have bought the above product and have an allergy to nuts, do not eat it. Instead return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund.

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The following notice has been issued by the retailer:

Product description: Grow and Play activity cube
Date/batch codes affected: All
EAN: 5054684885038

We are recalling this product as a precautionary measure having identified a potential safety issue.

We have identified that the stitching on the above product is not up to our usual standards and there is a possibility parts could become loose as a result.

We are asking all customers who have bought this product to return it to their nearest Sainsbury's store, where they will receive a full refund.

No other products are affected by this issue. We apologise for the inconvenience this has caused.

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