2008
The tactics used by some telephone cold callers can sometimes leave you bewildered or pressured into buying things you neither want nor need, but there are ways to get the upper hand, advises Consumer Direct Scotland.
16th April 2008
Last year, the government advice service received over 5379 complaints about contracts concluded over the phone, of which 15% were about cold calls. The highest number concerned mobile phone contracts, but the service also received complaints about timeshare, insurance, double glazing and home improvement sellers.
Gordon Macdonald, Consumer Direct Scotland manager said:
'Cold calling isn't against the law, but callers can sometimes ring at the most inconvenient times and if you're caught out you can agree to things you later regret. The good news is that you often have cancellation rights so it's worth checking where you stand.'
Consumer Direct Scotland has put together the following list of tips for dealing with cold calls:
- If you want to reduce the number of cold calls that you receive, consider registering with the Telephone Preference Service by calling 0845 070 0707 or visiting the website at www.tpsonline.org.uk
- Be wary of agreeing to contracts over the phone. If you are interested in the offer, ask for details to be sent to you so you can consider them in your own time.
- If you do agree to a contract, make sure you know who you are dealing with and how to get hold of them. Ask for a name, phone number, address and written confirmation.
- If you agree to a contract you later regret, you will generally have seven days after you receive written confirmation to cancel. If you don't receive this confirmation in writing, you may have up to three months.
- If you don't know who you're dealing with, never divulge any personal financial information.
Further information on your rights is available by calling Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 or visiting the website at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk
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NOTES:
1. Consumer Direct is a telephone and online consumer advice service funded by government and managed by the Office of Fair Trading. It operates in partnership with Local Authority Trading Standards Services to offer consumers clear, practical and impartial advice and information.
2. Consumer Direct has around 350 trained advisors in 11 contact centres across England, Wales and Scotland.
3. The information and advice helpline is available on a single national telephone number - 08454 04 05 06 from 0800 – 1830 Monday to Friday, and 0900 – 1300 Saturday, excluding bank holidays and public holidays.
4. A Welsh-speaking Consumer Direct service is available on 08454 04 05 05. Minicom users should call 08451 28 13 84.
5. Calls to the Consumer Direct 0845 numbers are charged at no more than four pence per minute from a BT landline. Call charges from other landline providers or mobile phones may vary. Please check the rate with your phone service provider.
6. Northern Ireland has its own service called ConsumerLine (available on 08456 00 62 62) which is similar to Consumer Direct. Visit the ConsumerLine website.
MEDIA enquiries: Jean Mackenzie 01851 822306
