In this issue businesses will find details of how to book a free ticket to our 'Protecting your business from cybercrime' event, and
rural businesses can learn about our forthcoming Buy With Confidence membership
discount.
Consumers will find details of how to obtain a call blocker
to help reduce scam calls, and can read all about our latest prosecutions.
Consumers and businesses alike are invited to complete our
“Have Your Say” survey and tell us what they think about our work and which
issues are most important to communities and individuals. The survey will only
take five minutes and we really value your input.
 Finally, we want to challenge YOU to have at least one
conversation about scams today. The more
we talk about scams – the less the scammers win. Please check out our new Mass Marketing Scams
– Are you Talking About Them video and hear from a Somerset resident about his experience with mailing scams
to learn more about how you can help your family, friends and communities to
fight scams.
Please feel free to share the video far and wide and get everyone
talking about scams.
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Free event in October to help
businesses protect themselves against digital threats
Digital crime can affect any business which uses a computer
or communicates digitally with customers or suppliers. If your business uses
email, online banking and internet marketing your business could potentially be
at risk from cyber rogues.
Trading Standards wants to give local businesses the tools
to protect themselves against online scammers by informing them on the ways
they could be targeted and what to look out for.
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The event is aimed at small and medium sized businesses but
open to all and is being held at Sandy
Park, Exeter on Thursday 13 October from 9.00am to 12.00pm. It will focus on business
protection, giving information on the latest types of fraud, how to recognise
them and, most importantly, how to protect your business. Guest speakers
include Devon & Cornwall Police, Barclays Bank and the South West Cyber
Security Cluster.
Places are free, but
they are limited, so find out more and reserve a space.
Reducing scam calls
Devon & Somerset Trading
Standards Service is returning money taken from criminals under the Proceeds of
Crime Act 2002 to the community by purchasing some call blocker
devices. The aim is to loan out these devices for a set period to qualifying
consumers who will benefit from having these call blocker units installed.
Trading standards officers are currently carrying out visits
to known victims of scams across Devon and Somerset. As part of these visits
officers will be assessing the viability of providing a call blocker.
The units are CPR V5000 which come with 5,000 pre programmed
numbers that are known to be used in scams. There is also the capacity to block
an additional 1,500 numbers.
CPR has also agreed to offer
a discount to all consumers who are referred to them by Devon & Somerset
Trading Standards at the end of the loan period and to
all new Callblocker customers who contact them direct to make a
purchase. Either enter code: 10NEW if you buy online or ask for a
new customer discount if you order by telephone.
If you feel you could benefit from a call blocker device you
can visit the following websites: CPR Call Blocker and True Call.
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25% discount on BWC membership for rural businesses - coming this autumn
Are you a rural business that wants to stand out? Apply for
BWC membership and join the other 400+ businesses in Devon and Somerset who
can say they are “Trading Standards Approved”.
If you operate a rural or
agricultural business you can receive a 25% discount on the first year
membership when you apply during our discount period. Further details to follow
soon – look out for the special edition of tsconnect this winter!
In the
meantime find out more about Buy With Confidence.
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Have your say about our work
We are in the process of planning our work for the upcoming
financial year. We would appreciate it if you spare five minutes to complete our
short survey, and tell us which areas of our work are important to you as a
Devon or Somerset resident or business.
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