Latest scam alerts.

Dear Kent Residents

Kent Trading Standards has successfully prosecuted two fraudsters who pressured victims in their own homes into paying thousands for unnecessary or unfinished work, with losses exceeding £1.3 million.

Read the full story here.

Please be alert and warn friends and family to never agree to work from cold callers, as this often leads to poor-quality or unsafe work at a high cost.

If you need work done on your home or garden use a safe, local trader from Trading Standards Checked.

Report cold callers anonymously to the charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 or online here.

For further advice call Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.

⚠️ Fraudsters have been hacking social media accounts and messaging people’s contacts asking for money or urgent help.

These messages can look genuine and appear to come from someone you know. Requests often involve urgent bank transfers, vouchers, or payments.

How to protect yourself:
❌ Don’t send money without checking first
✅ Contact the person directly using a number you trust
⚠️ Be cautious of urgent or unusual messages
✅ Enable two-step verification on apps like WhatsApp
✅ Use a strong, unique password for your accounts
🚫 Report suspicious messages and block the sender

➡️ Report to:
Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline
Kent Police