Royal Greenwich Trading Standards are aware of a recent spate of bogus Trading Standards Officer (TSO) incidents.
A man calls at houses, says he is a TSO and attempts to defraud the householder by claiming that they were due money in connection with previous work that the householder had done. The householder is told that they will need to pay for court costs or other admin fees which they will get back at a later date, they may also be told by the scammers that they will be giving money back to them from the previous work done at the property, but in order for this payment to proceed they need cash from the consumer for another victim.
This is a scam.
We would always advise businesses or residents to check IDs of callers. If they do not have ID or you are suspicious of an ID they show you, ask them to wait.
You can then check if they are a genuine Royal Greenwich member of staff such as a Trading Standards Officer by telephoning the Royal Greenwich Council main switchboard number on 020 8854 8888 and ask to be put through to the department they are claiming they are from.
A Trading Standards Officer would NEVER ask for any money in connection with any previous work.